Never Grow Up
by 93Mika
Summary: ...Mon-El inhaled deeply before turning to face her, his eyes still wet. "Thank you for making me a father. Thank you for our children. I love them so much. I love you so much." Kara's felt tears welling up in her eyes as well at hearing Mon-El's affectionate words. "I…I love you." Karamel Baby AU
1. El mayarah-Chapter 1:Don't let go of me

**Notes:**

This story is a sort of a Spin Off based on "A Love Reset" by KaramelHaven – in the dream world where Kara is married happily to Mon-El, the prince of Daxam.

The idea of this fic had been going on around my mind ever since I've read her BRILLIANT story! You should definitely read her fic on Ao3, but I believe I have put in enough explanations so you wouldn't feel too confused if you haven't read "A Love Reset". feel free to read this anyway.

I wrote two multi chapter fanfics about these two children back in summer, but for some reasons I removed them. Since I have started writing about this family again in the shape of one-shots, I decided to post these stories again in this whole series called "Never Grew Up" . I first put the two stories and then repost the two one-shots. If I write multi chapters again I add them and I will indicate in the titles if they are related or not. thanks for reading and supporting.

* * *

 **El mayarah**

 **Chapter 1: Don't let go of me**

My name is Tyren. I'm the son of the last king of Daxam. You could say I'm a prince, but my father is no longer the king and therefore I have no title as a prince. I don't mind that though, I love my parents. I don't care if I'll never be famous or rich, as long as I have my family.

I love my mother Kara. I love how she brushes her long blond tresses right before sleeping in her white or blue sleeping gown while humming a tune, how she looks at me lovingly when she thinks I'm not seeing her, how she reads me a book with her beautiful voice, how she praises my every success, tells me how much I'm like my father, how she puts a kiss on my forehead when she tucks me in bed every night, how her scent feels in my lungs when I embrace her, soothing and sweet.

And I love my father Mon-El just as much as mother. I love how he always believes in me, how he hugs me tightly when he returns after being away for the day, caresses my dark hair, how he lets me be with him when he works in his study and answers my every question, how he surprises me by making a meal all by himself in the kitchen.

And I love my little sister Elin. She has my mother's golden hair and we both have our mother's sky blue eyes which father always calls comets. I find it funny when he calls us his comets. Elin is sweet, graceful and smart even for a six year old girl. She always likes to be around me, believes everything I tell her – even my made up stories which she listens to with wide eyes. Sometimes she imitates me, makes a mess of my papers for school if I leave them unattended on my desk too long or plays with my action figure collection without asking me first, instead of playing with her own dolls. Despite being irritated with her on some occasions, I would do anything to protect her, just like my parents sometimes needlessly tell me to look after her.

And above everything else, I love the moments when we are all together, all four of us together in our big house or on a vacation. I feel incandescently gratified and complete every time I remember a day – not that long ago – when Elin was sitting on my mother's lap playing with her hair, while mother put tender kisses on her soft blond curls and father had an arm wrapped around mother's shoulders, soothingly rubbing her arm, while I was huddled in the middle of them, tucked into father's chest with his other hand keeping me safe as I was reading a book.

With all my knowledge as an eleven year old boy, I can imagine no other moment more satisfying than this.

I wish it could be like this forever, but father has an important job as one of the leaders of our nation – the new Daxam – and it keeps him away for hours, sometimes days, from us. Mother works with him as well, though she tries to spend more time with me and Elin.

I've learned that Daxam was ruled by kings and queens until a year before I was born. When my father Mon-El became the King with my mother Kara as her Queen, they decided to disband the monarchy system since it was causing harm to so many people on Daxam, very few had a voice and there was slavery. My mother once explained to me when I asked her about the slavery. There are no slaves anymore and I can never understand how someone would force another person to do everything for them without paying them in return. Fortunately my father abolished slavery, and now Daxam has turned into a democratic society like Krypton. I've been to Krypton many times – my second home planet, because my mother is a Kryptonian – and I've seen the differences between my two home planets and I hope one day Daxam can become as peaceful and modern as Krypton. I have faith that my parents can really accomplish doing that. I'm also not blind to the hardships they face every day though. I have often seen them troubled, angry or utterly tired. I wish I could help them somehow. They never talk to me about their problems, always putting on a strong face for me and my sister, but as I'm growing up, I notice their sadness too. Nevertheless they always seem to conquer the bad feelings when they are together. They comfort each other, love each other and never stay upset too long after talking to each other.

I'm so proud of my parents. They are my heroes and I want to be just like them when I grow up.

It find it amusing how they often call each other by unique endearment terms. My mother calls father _Zhor_ and father calls her _Miar_. I don't particularly like watching them kiss so deeply, like they want to melt into each other, but it makes me happy to see my parent love each other so much.

Once uncle Dar-Blaine told me how my father had claimed my mother as his mate the day they married. He couldn't finish his story of my parents' wedding night, because my father dragged him away hurriedly with a frown. I don't understand what mate really means, but I think it means that my father loves my mother more than anyone else. I've planned to ask Uncle Dar more about it the next time I see him.

I am excited because soon uncle Kal is coming to visit us from Krypton. He always brings me and Elin cool gifts. For my Last Name Day, he gave me an orb that can project a hologram of stars and planets in Rao's system with highest precision and since I share my mother's love for stars, I had squealed gleefully and jumped to hug him when I realized what it was. Since then my mother teaches me the names of the stars whenever she has the time.

We always have such a fun time when uncle Kal comes to visit us or we go to Krypton. He is a scientist, like his father Jor-El – my grandfather Zor-El is a scientist as well – and is so passionate about his work and likes to travel to other planets. Uncle Kal brings me souvenirs from his trips to different parts of our galaxy. Like he once gave me a glassy stone with a bizarre alien insect trapped in it, stones that shine different colors at different angles or some very unusual gadgets and artifacts from more developed or primitive planets. I keep them on a top shelf in my room so that Elin can't reach them. These are my special collection which I don't like sharing with her.

I sometimes dream of becoming like uncle Kal. Travel to every system of stars and see all corners of the galaxy.

I once wrote a paper on uncle Kal's adventures for a school assignment which I got a top mark for and the teacher liked it so much that sent it to be published in the school journal for everyone to read it. I received a lot of positive response from it, although some kids didn't seemed intrigued by it. I think it had more to do with who I am than the paper itself. A lot of kids keep their distance from me since I'm the former King's son. I have come to realize, many people who used to be in the elites and royal families, resent my parents for putting an end to their previous way of life, and now their children had their beliefs and didn't want to befriend me. I supposed their parents had warned them against me. Mostly their coldness doesn't bother me, I have other friends, but sometimes some of them try to bully or insult me, to which I try to act indifferent and passive, because my father instructed me to do so. He said, I should be careful and never answer their empty words, but at the same time hold my pride and defend myself when I need to in a civilized and polite way. I used to be too concerned about the backlashes, sometimes got into fights, but after some time they grew tired of mocking me and gradually everything turned pretty much normal at school. A School which my mother has helped building and in this school all the children from all walks of life can attend, to learn about science, literature and art. One more thing that pisses off my father's adversaries; why other children – from what they call inferior families – have the right to sit next to their – so called superior – children.

* * *

The night before uncle Kal's visit, I laid awake thinking what would happen tomorrow. What souvenir uncle Kal would bring me this time. What we would do during the weekend. I was so happy that father had promised not to go for work and would be around this weekend. It was hard to sleep while being so excited. I kept looking at the shimmering stones on my shelf, trying to calm my mind down and slowly my eyelids grew heavier until I fell asleep.

I woke up to the faint sound of crying in darkness. It was Elin. She must have had a nightmare. Grife. Did I even fall sleep? Since I felt completely awake, I decided to go check on her. Groaning, I threw away my blanket and dragged myself out of bed. As I opened my door, Elin became quiet. I walked down the hallway towards her bedroom anyway. In the dim blue light of her night lamp, I could make out my mother's silhouette from the doorway. She was sitting on Elin's bed, holding her small distressed form in her arms, swaying lightly to calm her as she murmured something softly in her ear.

I went to sit next to them. Mother raised her head to watch me with tired eyes and a smile.

" _Elin-nizu,_ look who's here." She whispered delightfully to Elin in Kryptonese. She often used the "- _nizu_ " Kryptonese suffix for Elin, which was used for small children on Krypton. Both I and Elin were learning our mother's language beside Daxamite. I was fairly good with Kryptonese, but Elin was still struggling since she was too young, sometimes slurring the words or mixing the two languages together.

Elin raised her head from its safe place in mother's chest, sniffling and blinking her tears away to see me. She seemed fine.

"Hey nessa, it's ok. It was just a bad dream." I told Elin in Daxamite, calling her "nessa" – which means sister in Daxamite – like I usually did.

Elin watched me for a few more seconds before unwinding one of her arms from mother and reaching for me.

" _Hanon._ " She called me "brother" in Daxamite.

I held her small hand in mine and the three of us stayed like that for a while until mother broke the silence.

"Do you want to talk about your nightmare, sweetheart?"

Elin looked at me before looking up at mother. "It was the Garata, Tyren told me about. The one that eats babies and breathes fire." She then burrowed her head into mother's chest with a shiver.

Mother shook her head, turning to look at me in disapproval, making me feel guilty. I dropped my eyes from hers.

"It was just a story baby girl. It's not real. Isn't that right Tyren?" Mother stroked Elin's hair, staring at me expectantly.

"Of course, it was just an imaginary story. I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you Elin." I apologized, feeling genuinely regretful.

Elin raised her head again to look at me, as if to see whether I was being serious or was just pretending to assure her in front of mother. When she saw the truth in my face – finding out I had lied to her – she frowned and pouted at me adorably, showing her striking resemblance to mother.

"Elin-nizu, let's go back to sleep sweetheart. I'll stay with you tonight." Mother tenderly shifted Elin from her lap into the bed. She complied happily since mother offered to stay with her and I saw that as a sign to leave them.

"Mya can I get you anything?" Still feeling guilty, I offered to help her with anything. Calling her Mother in Daxamite.

Despite her obvious tiredness after a busy day and now waking up in early hours to comfort her daughter, – because of my stupid story to joke around with Elin – mother beamed at me gratefully and shook her head. "We're fine Tyren. Go back to sleep dear. You have to get up early for school."

I nodded and walked back to my room, thinking I should act more responsible and stop messing with Elin, with my made up horror stories, when she believes in them so easily.

* * *

Focusing in the classes was hard the next day, constantly thinking about the things I wanted to talk about with uncle Kal. The anticipation continued even when I get home, so I tried to kill time at the house until he arrives.

A new messaged popped up in my inbox. Opening it, I saw a flashing colorful advertisement lit up my hologram device. It was about a new group of exotic illusionists and acrobats who had come to Daxam and had a huge performance tomorrow night. The videos were amazing and had my heart racing. Running out of my room into the hallway, where our rooms are located, I looked around to find my parents. I decided to check their room and heard them laughing. I couldn't understand what they were talking about with the door closed, muffling their voices. Knocking softly, I waited for them to open the door. I never enter their room without knocking. I didn't like to walk in on them kissing, like they so often did. It was gross!

Father opened the door.

"Tyren, my man." He tried to ruffle my hair as a habit, but I dodged his hand.

"Atar NO! I just brushed my hair!" I shouted, calling him father in Daxamite.

Laughing, father pulled me into a hug. "All dressed up for your uncle Kal?"

"Yes!" I hugged him back and saw mother smiling at us from her position, sitting in front of the mirror.

They were both dressed as well. Remembering why I came there for, I drew out my hologram device to show father the advertisement.

"Father Look! Can we please go to this show? We can take uncle Kal too! I'm sure he'd like it!"

Father watched the advertisement, he's face a bit hesitant. Mother was watching too while putting on her earrings. He then scratches his beard.

"I'm not sure Arne." He exclaimed, calling me son in Daxamite. "I don't think this would be proper for your sister."

"But they have clowns and acrobats! I know she would love to see them too!" I tried to reason.

Father turned to look at mother. They watched each other silently, as if talking with their eyes.

"I think about it Tyren. We ask uncle Kal and then we decide. How about that?" He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Okay." I answered, feeling a bit deflated. Father always talked like a politician. Guess that was because he was actually a politician.

"Dear, can you check on Elin? Make sure she's dressed and not playing instead?" Mother asked me while I rolled my eyes. Why did I have to check on her? I nodded nevertheless. Just before I could leave though, mother added.

"Tyren I know how much you love to tell stories dear, but do you think you could tell your sister the more pretty ones?"

Oh, here was the talk I knew was coming. I turned back to face them again, feeling guilty like last night.

"I'm sorry mya. I know, I didn't think she would believe it so easily. I won't do that again."

Mother smiled brightly and father put his hand on my shoulder again.

"That's my man. Always look out for your family." Father ruffled my hair before realizing what he had done.

" _ATAR_!" I shouted and tried to tackle him half in revenge and half jokingly. They both burst into laughs.

Walking to Elin's bedroom with ruined hair, I saw her sitting in a corner, playing with her dolls, talking to them and offering them food. Fortunately she was all dressed – wearing her beautiful blue dress and her hair was neatly braided on two sides.

"Elin, are you all dressed up for when Uncle Kal arrives?" I asked needlessly, for the sake of starting a conversation.

She only nodded, still angry with me for lying to her about that Garata dragon. I went closer to her, sitting on her bed.

"I know I scared you with that fake story _nessa_ , I'm sorry. I promise I won't lie to you again."

She didn't respond immediately, but after a while she gazed at me questioningly, her blue eyes staring me down exactly like mother's did.

"No more scary stories?" She demanded with folded arms.

"No more." I promised.

And just like that she flashed me a toothy grin – with two of her baby teeth missing – and ran to hug me, letting me know that she had forgiven me.

Later that night, to my utter delight, father accepted to take us to the show. Even uncle Kal seemed curious to watch it and we all decided to go to the event the next night.

* * *

By the end of the show, I was full of snacks which I'd devoured during the performances. It was all so awesome that I wished I could see it all over again. Even Elin seemed over joyed to see all the clowns and unusual exotic animals dancing around. We came out of the auditorium late in the night to stand in the lobby of the theater. My parents were talking with uncle Kal. I didn't pay attention to their conversation. My eyes drifted around the huge lobby, seeing the other people leaving the place and among the crowd I saw one of the clowns looking at me. He's florescent colorful hair and outfit making it hard to look away from him. He waved at us with a ridiculous grin. His painted face and red nose, making him even more attracting to look at. I involuntarily waved back at him and noticed Elin stepping in front of me, waving excitedly as well.

The clown then showed us the fluffy doll he was holding in his hands. Tilting his head playfully and pointing at us to come closer. Elin thoughtlessly started walking towards him, giggling. I wasn't too sure, but glancing back at my parents and seeing them still deep in talk, I just hurried to catch up to Elin, to watch out for her and quench my curiosity to see one of the performers up close meanwhile. We would be back before they even noticed we were gone.

The clown started moving as well. Walking backwards and shaking the doll, enticingly, urging us to follow him. A part of me was doubtful and wanted to go back and inform my parents, but I pushed back my worries, thinking this must have been a part of the show and soon we'll find a room full of all the other performers and prizes and we followed him happily, laughing when he started to walk on his hands

We reached a door and the clown walked into it. I noticed it was dark on the other side. I stopped. My doubts grew bigger and pushed away the other thoughts. I reached and took Elin's hand in mine, stopping her from running after the clown.

"Let me go hanon!"

"No Elin! This doesn't seem right. We need to go back to mya and atar."

She screamed and struggled to free herself from my grip. "Tyren! I want the doll!"

She forcefully dragged me and I kept thinking. What if I was wrong? Maybe all the actors were waiting for us on the other side to surprise us? Curiosity took the better of me and I decided we sneak a peek through the door and walk back if anything seemed wrong.

"Ok, but I go first." I instructed her.

Keeping my hold on her hand, we walked up to the door and I opened it with hesitation. I saw the clown standing five feet away in a dark alleyway, shaking the doll at us. This was all wrong. I stopped dead and wanted to step back inside. Suddenly Elin jerked her hand out of mine and ran to the clown with arms out stretched and shouting: "MINE!"

Everything happened so fast afterwards that I couldn't keep track of it all correctly.

A dark figure from the shadows, grabbed Elin by her waist, making her scream in a fright and kick out. " _HANON_!"

I jumped forward, with intense dread clenching my heart and anger filling my whole being.

"LET HER GO!"

Just as my fingers wrapped around the fabric of Elin's dress, another set of hands gripped my torso in an iron clad, taking me away from her and I watched hopelessly as the masked man was pulling my baby sister into a vehicle.

"ELIN!" I struggled with everything I had against the hands on my chest, kicking and shouting, ineffectively.

"TYREN!" Elin cried loudly, screaming before disappearing into that vehicle.

"ELIN!" I shouted uselessly again as I felt being moved into the same vehicle. The terror had made my mind go blank completely, so much so that I didn't even realize the hands had let me go, and only the impact to the ground shook me out of the haze. The car was speeding away. Without looking back, I jumped on my feet to go save my sister, but the vehicle was getting farther and farther away. I ran after it breathlessly, keep shouting my sister's name until the black vehicle disappeared quickly in the thick veil of the night, leaving me staring into nothingness. I stopped on shaky legs. My eyes dropped down to the fabric of Elin's dress ,unaware that I had been clutching it in my hand this whole time. I felt the hot tears streaming down my cheeks.

* * *

 **Notes:**

I love how KaramelHaven used endearment terms like Zohr (Heart in Kryptonian) or Miar (Mate/Wife in Daxamite) and tried to take a page out of her book and looked around to find words for mother, father, brother, sister, son and daughter in Daxamite. Since I had no clue how to build the words out of thin air, I looked for them in an Elvish dictionary online: and I might have changed some of them a bit to sound smoother! Also, finding names for children was a really hard job! It took me about a week as I raked the whole net to investigate the meanings, history and namesakes! But I feel content now… almost…


	2. El mayarah-Chapter 2: Become a Man

**El mayarah**

 **Chapter 2: Become a Man**

Hands wrapped around me again and I reacted violently to shake them off. Ready to fight tooth and nail. So dazed that it took me a long while to finally see it was uncle Kal.

"Tyren! Are you OK?"

I franticaly pointed in the direction where the vehicle had gone through a few seconds ago. "Elin! They took her uncle Kal. We have to go after her!" my voice sounded pitched and raw after screaming so much.

He hugged me tightly and I could sense his fear too. "I know _embish_ , we'll bring her back." He called me buddy in Kryptonese, trying to sooth me fruitlessly. Only then I notice the other sounds.

"Tyren?!"

I heard mother calling me urgently, sounding panicked. Uncle Kal pulled me up in his strong arms and carried me back to where mother was standing near that door.

The door which I and Elin had stupidly walked out of. No. The door through which I had stupidly walked us out of. Why did she ran out of my arm? Why hadn't I held her hand more firmly?

My eyes quickly found mother's worried ones and then I noticed the two figures fighting on the ground, or rather one was beating the hell out of the other while shouting.

"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING MY DAUGHTER?! WHERE IS MY _Meril_? WHO DID THIS?"

It was father, slamming his fists over and over to the seemingly barely moving and grunting man beneath him, with his every single word. Even in the darkness I saw how his face was contorted with such blazing fury, that for the first time in my life I felt afraid of him.

"Tyren!" Mother called me again with a shaken voice, over father's loud enraged shouts. I closed the distance between us promptly when uncle Kal put me down. Quivering uncontrollably in her arms, I couldn't take my eyes off of father. Mother winded her arms tightly around me, pressing my head into her chest, and tried to turn my head away from the open demonstration of violence in front of us, but I didn't want to look away. I could feel she was shaking too.

For a moment, I, mother and uncle Kal were frozen and rendered speechless from father's outburst. The man had grown silent and static under father's repeating blows.

" _Zohr_ …" Mother called, her voice trembling, showing how close she was to tears.

Father didn't answer. I couldn't remember a time when he hadn't answered mother, calling him _Zohr_. But it made him stop the punching. He was panting heavily, his eyes wide and sparking with wrath, veins had bulged out on his temples.

"Mon-El?"

This time uncle Kal called with uncertainty, causing father to move away from the man and I finally started to put the pieces together. This was the man who was holding me, trying to drag me into the same vehicle, trying to kidnap me. Father had torn him off me at the last minute and the kidnappers ran away with my sister, unsuccessful to kidnap the both of us.

I saw the blood staining father's hands, which were still clenched into fists, shaking slightly from sheer anger. Blood that belonged to that unmoving man lying on the ground, covering his knuckles. I couldn't see the man's undoubtedly injured face in the low lighting.

No one said anything. We were all in shock. I couldn't look at father in the eyes. Instead my eyes fell on a white object behind where father was standing. A stuffed animal. The doll Elin so enthusiastically ran to get, abandoned and smudged, fallen in a heap on the ground. Its fake wide open eyes were fixed on me, boring holes in me.

Suddenly I felt such an indescribable sinking feeling of regret in my heart that I feared it would swallow me altogether at any moment, like a chasm.

It was all my fault. I hadn't even realized that I was crying the whole time, until I felt mother wiping my tears away with her fingers. I looked up at her and saw her eyes filled with tears as well.

Someone came through the door. It was Uncle Dar-Blaine. Unlike anytime I had seen him before, his eyes seemed alarmingly serious. He inspected the scene, taking in our expressions with a hard face, and turned his attention to my father.

"I've sent out all the scouts. We watch all the roads. They won't be able to go that far. We'll get them soon Mon-El."

Father only nodded. Uncle Dar reached a hand to lay on his shoulder. Father didn't even bring his head up, his eyes fixed on a spot on the asphalt. Uncle Dar withdrew his hand before adding.

"You take your family back home. I will handle the reports on my –"

"Take him to a station. He must know their plans. I want to be there when they question him." Father cut off uncle Dar's words in a voice so unfamiliarly cold to my ears – with a slight tremor behind it – pointing at the motionless bulky man on the ground. Uncle Dar sighed, but nodded in agreement.

"Ok, I'll call the guards in front –"

"WHERE THE HELL WERE THEY, WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WATCH ALL THE EXITS?"

Father's voice boomed into the dark, narrow alleyway, echoing. I shivered as if the words were whipping me. Mother tightened her arms around me. Uncle Dar flinched a bit, but I saw his eyes projecting empathy.

"Mon-El, I can't imagine how hard this must be. Everything went wrong tonight. But you need to take them away from here, I SWEAR to all the gods and Rao that I will do everything to bring Elin back."

It was only then when my father looked up at us. Sighing painfully he brought a bloody hand up to cover his face. Uncle Dar waited a moment to watch him, before coming closer to me and mother.

"Kara, I've called a car, it's waiting at the end of this alleyway. I didn't want you to go from the front door in this state. Please take care of yourselves, I'm sure this will all be over soon. We won't let anything happens to her. I won't stop until we find her."

And I believed him because his voice was the firmest I had heard all night.

"Thank you Dar." Mother answered in a weakly and he walked back inside in quick steps.

I heard uncle Kal calling after uncle Dar and followed him back inside.

My eyes flickered back to father and I saw him looking at us with glossy eyes. Never had I ever, seen my father crying. Never had I ever, seen him so broken and shaken. I felt my chest throbbing excruciatingly from remorse. I tried to wiggle out of mother's hold. I understood she didn't want to let go of me and I didn't want to either, but I couldn't take it anymore. Walking towards father, I stood in front of him shamefully, avoiding his eyes.

" _Atar_ it was all my fault…I shouldn't have persisted to come to this show… I should have told you… I should have hold her better… I should have been more careful…I was stupid…" I poured out the words, shaking and almost sobbing as I confessed.

I waited for him to slap me, hit me, shout at me, call me a moron, irresponsible and arrogant boy, a failure, or even just walk away, ignore me.

What I didn't expect, was him putting his arms around me so lovingly, covering me with his broad chest and holding me tightly. And I couldn't hold myself together anymore and cried loudly.

He gently pushed me away and cradled my face in his big hands, brushing away my tears with his thumbs, and looked at me directly in the eyes with his tearful grayish blue ones, in which I saw nothing but love.

"Shhhh… It's okay Tyren. It wasn't your fault _Arne_." Father murmured, never letting go.

I felt mother's hand in my hair. "It's ok Tyren. We'd never blame you son." She assured me with her soft voice, kissing my crown.

I found myself squeezed between them when father reached one of his arms to hold mother close as well and she pressed her face into father's shoulder.

We held each other close like that until uncle Kal came back. He pulled me up in his arms again and took me to the car uncle Dar had mentioned before. Father held mother close with his arm wrapped around her waist, whispering into her ear as they walked to the car. I could hear mother crying into his shoulder.

The ride back home felt as if it took forever. No one said even one word and I couldn't help but clutch onto uncle Kal, watching my parents holding hands with intensely concerned expressions. They had said that they didn't blame me, but I still hadn't forgiven myself and couldn't bring myself to ask comfort from them.

At home, mother asked me to go to bed, but I didn't feel tired. I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to help. How could I even shut my eyes for a second when my little nessa was in the hands of my father's enemies?

But I was only a boy. A useless, reckless fool and I accepted to leave my parents alone with uncle Kal, so they could do something to bring Elin back. I was only in their way. I had made enough mess already.

No one came up to my room to check on me. I kept walking in circles, occasionally curled up in a corner when I felt tired, fidgeting with the ripped piece of Elin's dress in my hands, cried more a few times, but never touched my bed. Never changed my clothes. I didn't deserve to relax. How could I lie down in my bed when Elin for sure wasn't going to sleep on hers tonight?

Growing tired and thirsty after a few hours, I decided to venture downstairs. I wanted to know what was going on. Passing by my parents' room, I found it dark and empty. I wasn't surprised. Climbing down the stairs I heard the voices coming from the leaving room and sneaked up there. Not wanting to make others aware of my presence, I stayed close to the wall and strained my ears to listen to the conversation.

"… All the northern roads are blocked now. The forces stop every vehicle to search them. Unfortunately they haven't left any finger prints. This was all planned neatly." I recognized uncle Dar's voice coming from the communication device.

"What happened to the suspect you took to the station?" Uncle Kal asked about the man my father had caught – and beaten to a pulp.

"He woke up, doesn't know any details. He was only paid to take the children to a drop point. We went there. They have changed their car." Uncle Da bitterly explained.

"Is he ok?" I heard mother asking in an unbelievably tired and worried voice which confused me a bit. Was she asking after the kidnapper's well being?

"He's… he's holding up Kara. I know you wanted to be here with him, but there isn't much for you to do. You will only feel more distressed…" I realized he was talking about father. Father had gone out to work with uncle Dar. "… All we can do for now is to be patient. The satellite imagery is being processed but it's slow. we need more powerful processors ."

"Is there anything else we can do?" Mother asked desperately.

I heard uncle Dar sighing. "I'm not sure Kara, but is there a way to ask Tyren about the details of the accident? I understand you don't want to involve him, but there could be something we haven't noticed in the investigation."

"I…He's sleeping right now. I try to ask him when he wakes up, if only I feel he's ready to talk about tonight. He's so shaken Dar. You didn't see him after you left. He somehow thinks it's his fault that they took Elin! He doesn't see how close he was to being kidnap as well and we - " Mother's word trembles so hard towards the end that she stops talking. Her words melted the stony cold feeling of shame in my heart a bit as tears prick at the corners of my eyes and I suddenly felt an intense urge to run to her and embrace and comfort her. I never want to hear my mother's voice sound so broken, ever again. Never ever.

After a moment of silence, uncle Kal spoke up. "What about the email?"

"The advertisement Tyren found in his inbox?" Uncle Dar clarified.

"Yes. I know you said these guys have left no tracks, but I think it worth a try."

"That's not a bad idea. We can hack into his email but it would be faster …"

I never heard the rest of the conversation as I hurried back to my room to grab my hologram device. Running back down, I let myself known this time.

"Here! You can have it! I don't care if you break it into pieces!"

Mother and uncle Kal almost jumped out of their seats at my sudden and noisy entry. The hologram image of uncle Dar looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Tyren…" Mother called sadly, but I rushed to assure her.

"No mother, I can do this. I know you don't think this was my fault, but we're a family and I want to do anything I can to bring back Elin."

I even surprised myself with the firmness of my statement. Mother smiled at me proudly.

"El mayarah" she whispered.

"El mayarah" I repeated.

"El mayarah" uncle Kal enchanted as well.

* * *

I saw from my window, as our star Rao broke the horizon, chased away the darkness and brought back the day. I would have enjoyed the scene any other day, but that moment all I felt was the constant sickening anxiety that made my mind numb and my body heavy. Even though I felt beyond tired after telling all the details that I could remember of the kidnapping for everyone, I couldn't sleep.

Uncle Kal had gone to help others, taking my hologram device with him, while Mother had stayed at home, taking the calls, rejecting the press and others demanding a meeting, sometimes called father to talk and exchange ideas and updates. I had told her that she can leave me at house and go be with father, but she kissed me on the cheek, claiming she would never leave me behind.

Wandering around the house, my legs took me to Elin's room. Sitting on her bed just like two nights before, I looked around her room. The lilac colored walls – her favorite color – and her toys and painting colors on the shelves plainly represented her world. She had left her room in the middle of a tea party with her favorite dolls. Though this all was making my throat tighten, I couldn't stop. I walked to her little desk, filled with small story books – full of pictures of princesses – and a stack of her paintings. My hand stopped on her latest painting. A red sky, Rao shining and a house. And in that ridiculously small house, she had drawn two figures. One bigger with spiky black hair in a red shirt and the other shorter with long blond hair, wearing a blue dress. Both smiling from ear to ear while holding hands.

Written beneath the painting in askew Daxamite letters I read "Best hanon in the world!"

All I remember afterwards was lying in Elin's small bed and crying. I don't know how long I spent doing so until I felt mother lying down next to me, hugging me from behind. I stirred around and nuzzled into her neck and she held me like that till I finally fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up I couldn't remember why I was in my sister's room instead of my own immediately. It was almost twilight. I sat up and noticed the blanket that someone had draped over me. The memories rushed to the surface and washed away the grogginess rapidly. How long had I slept? Had they found Elin? Scrambling to my feet, I walk out to find mother.

I hear voices from my parents' room. Father was back. I wanted to rush in and hug him, but my steps came to a halt near the door frame when I caught on the grave sorrow in their tones. Mother was whimpering, her words hushed and shook from raw emotions. All this time she had held back her tears for me.

"… Did they say anything? Any ransoms? Any demands? Any threats…"

"No, nothing yet. They know we can track them with Kryptonian techs. They want to keep us in this state of fear with their silence."

I almost didn't recognize father's voice, sounding unimaginably agonized and fearful.

"What about the clown?"

"He didn't know anything either. Just another pawn."

I didn't dare to invade their privet moment. From the mirror hanged on the wall almost in front of their door, I caught a glimpse of them sitting on the bed.

Hugging each other. Lost and afraid. So contrary to all my memories of them, so paradoxical to their eternally bright and confident picture in my mind. For a moment I thought this had to be a nightmare and I would wake up to the sound of my alarm clock and it would still be the day when uncle Kal was arriving on Daxam. But a part of me knew well that this was the bitter reality I was living in now and I felt tears in my eyes again from this cruel truth.

"How's Tyren?"

Father's question drove me out of my internal fight with accepting the tragic actualities.

"He's sleeping, finally." Mother informed him, keeping her head on father's shoulder and eyes closed. I could sense the tension form anxiety and fatigue dripping from both their postures. Father was rubbing her back thoughtlessly, the bags under his down cast eyes and his paleness visible even from the reflection, all the lines of his face were deepened, making him look much older.

"I should…I should go see him."

Father gently moved mother's head from his shoulder, putting his hands on both sides of her head and delicately wiped away the tears from mother's cheeks, whispering "Miar" before putting a kiss on her lips as a single tear rolled down his own cheek. This time I didn't look away like I always did. I watched their lips stay locked on each other's for a long while, as if breathing life into each other and sucking out the despair, so beautiful and so heartbreaking at the same time. Then they moved with each other as father leaned forward, guiding mother gingerly down into a sleeping position, never breaking the kiss.

Running back to Elin's room, I stood by her window and waited for father. It was completely dark now. I couldn't even bring myself to turn on a light, feeling too disturbed from all the information and emotions grappling inside. As if brightness could unsettle me even further, going against all the dark feelings and thoughts that were squashing my whole being in their clutches.

"Tyren?"

"Father?" I swallowed hardly and walk to him slowly and saw his tall pitch black silhouette in the doorway, against the dim light of the hallway.

"Why are you standing in the dark, dear?"

Father turned the light on and I had to close my eyes momentarily against its sharp intensity. When I opened them I saw father standing in front of me, much calmer and like his old self, still wearing the same outfit he had on the last night. I struggled to find something to say, but the words slipped my mind. What was I supposed to say? Ask him about Elin's whereabouts and remind him of that again while he had just come down? Apologize for my incautious idiotic act last night again? Or should I ask how he was?

"Are you hungry Tyren? Because I'm starving."

I looked at him baffled. I was actually famished. I couldn't remember eating anything since last night. Feeling too upset even after mother insisted me eating something.

"Yeah, I'm starving too." I weakly admitted.

"Okay then, do you think you can come help me in the kitchen to make some sandwiches Arne? I'm sure mya would eat too if we make them."

We walked shoulder by shoulder down the hallway and down the stairs.

"Atar is she… is mya ok?"

He sighed and reached a hand to grab at the nape of my neck kindly.

"She's holding up. She's sleeping now."

He then stopped on his track, putting both his hands on my shoulders.

"Tyren, we need to be strong for _mya_ and for Elin. This is too much to ask when I know how all this has affected you, but can you try to look out for your mother when I'm not around? Don't let her be alone."

I held up his gaze the whole time, his request waking up a courage I didn't know I had. I felt a part of me shouted in agreement with father, a fighter rising inside to smack down the hopelessness. A protector ready to give anything for his family. A part of me that I had no clue of its existence up until that moment.

"I will do everything I can to look after them _atar_. I know we will bring Elin back and I promise I won't let anything happen to any of them ever again."

The fighter in me roared with power, suddenly feeling so confident and hopeful, like the night was over and Rao was shining. Like I somehow knew everything will be alright again even though it didn't seem like that.

Father beamed at me warmly and rested his forehead against mine.

"That's my boy becoming a man."


	3. El mayarah-Chapter 3:Stronger Together

**El mayarah**

 **Chapter 3: Stronger Together**

I couldn't believe only 30 hours had passed. I had never been apart from Elin for this long ever since she was born. It certainly felt like at least a week had passed. I missed her so badly, that it hurt like hell every time I breathed. I couldn't imagine what my parents were going through.

I still remembered the day Elin was born. Me and Elin were born naturally. My parents didn't approve of the birthing Matrix that gave birth to thousands of children every day. Considering them too artificial and manipulative.

I was only five and over excited to meet my new sibling, thinking I could finally have someone to play with for my whole life and I would never be alone again like when mother and father had to go to work and would leave me home with a babysitter. I remember vividly when father had put Elin wrapped into a bundle of soft blanket in my arms, holding his strong arms under my slim, small arms to support them and prevent me from dropping her.

"Tyren, this is your little _nessa_."

She was asleep. Her skin was red and I wondered if she would be always red. "Why is she red, _atar_?"

My father chuckled and put a kiss to my temple. "It's because she's newly born, _arne_. Don't worry, she won't stay like that."

"I love her no matter what, _atar_. I know she will be beautiful just like _mya_. Because _mya_ is the most beautiful woman in this world."

Father hadn't said anything back then and I kept looking at my little sister until she opened her tiny eyes to look at me for the first time.

"Hi _nessa_." I then looked at my father, wondering why he had tears in his eyes. " _Atar_ , why are you crying? Is _mya_ ok?"

Father cracked up again. "These are happy tears Tyren, don't worry. _Mya_ is just resting."

Observing my sister for a few more seconds, I asked. "What is her name?"

"What do you think we should call her?" father fondly smiled.

I looked around me, I saw the book that I had been reading while waiting for my sister to be born, lying next to me. It was an old book about a hero called Valor. He was my father's favorite character. I couldn't read yet, but it had lots of the pictures, each demonstrating a tale of Valor's heroics. Farther and mother had read to me most of the stories and I loved looking at the ancient paintings, retelling the stories, and drown myself in the drawings, imagining I'm Valor, fighting the monsters.

In the last page I was reading, Valor finds her long lost lover who had been taken by fire monsters. Her name was Elin-Em. The redness of my sister's skin had reminded me of the painting in the book, showing Elin-Em trapped between crimson flames. I had imagined maybe my _nessa_ had gone through a flames and the heat had made her skin turn so reddish. Without hesitation I had called the name out loud. "Elin!"

* * *

Father had gone out shortly after eating his light dinner. He hugged me tightly once more and promised to call soon. I had nodded and tried to mimic his steel and confident expression, before assuring him of his unasked request. "Don't worry father, I'll look after _mya_."

His face had softened then, ruffled my hair and left in the dead of night. I had then went upstairs and watched my mother's sleeping form, happy that she seemed peaceful at least for the time being.

Walking closer to bed, I put down the plate filled with sandwiches on the bedside table near her without making a sound. Hopefully she would easily see them when she woke up. I walked back to exit the room, but stopped hovering in the doorway. I didn't want to be alone in the quiet and dark house this night. I didn't want to wander to Elin's room again and break apart again. I wanted to be strong and stay close to mother.

I went back to the bed and slowly laid down on the covers – on father's side of the bed, next to mother – making sure not to move the mattress too much and awaken her. I didn't dare to wrap my arms around her like she had done with me, in fear of waking her up. I only took in her relaxed sleeping features, tracing all the delicate lines with my eyes in the dark room, listening to the soft ebbs and flow of her breathing, until I felt myself dozing off as well.

Awareness didn't come to me instantly this time. I woke up to the feeling of light fingers caressing my face and slowly opened my blue eyes only to greet their identical ones on mother's face – Comets as father liked to call them. She kept looking at me lovingly. The faint smile adorning her face made me smile back and reach my hand to stroke her face, mirroring her. I noticed the room wasn't dark but engulfed in the bright beams of red light. It was morning.

"My beautiful unah…" She whispered softly in Kryptonese, calling me son.

" _Leiu_ , I love you." I said back in Kryptonese, calling her mother and shifted forward to nestle my face into her chest, listening to her soothing heartbeat, breathing in her familiar scent. " I will never let you feel lonely."

* * *

Later that morning, uncle Kal had come back to our house and slept a few hours, being awake for the past night using his computer skills to work with others technicians, searching for Elin. He then headed back there again.

It was passed noon when finally father informed us that they had found a lead and were planning to send forces to the location they believed Elin was held at. The previous day uncle Kal had gone to Krypton and brought in his Kalex robot upon mother's suggestion. Kalex had a super enhanced processor, allowing the technicians to crack the codes of the firewall, protecting the source of the email that had been sent to me – causing all this in the first place – and had found the ties that revealed the identity of the culprits. And after highly sophisticated analysis of satellite imagery of their movements over a month, a location had been marked out.

I felt a tiny bit of satisfaction in learning that my hologram device would be the salvation that ended this nightmare and could bring Elin back to us.

I looked at my father's hologram projection, telling us all these information. He seemed tired, but hopeful. Could Elin really be back in our arms by the end of the day?

I squeezed my mother's hand in mine and she squeezed back. I had barely left her side since last night. Always there to make sure she wouldn't let herself starve, distracted her and tried not to let her thoughts stumble back into the clouds of dark concerns that I knew were there.

"Me and Kal are going with the forces to the location." Father announced.

" _Zohr_ …" Mother started to ask something, but stopped as if suddenly doubted whether she should ask it or not. I felt her hold on my hand tighten a bit.

"I'll bring our _meril_ back _miar_ , I swear to Rao." Father swore on mother's god to fulfill her unspoken request and diminish her fears.

I watched them communicate silently with their eyes again for a moment and couldn't help myself and asked.

"Father, can I come with you too? Please, I want to be there for Elin and…" I trailed off, suddenly unsure. On the one hand I wanted to be with father and uncle Kal and on the other hand I didn't want to leave mother behind to wait alone in the house.

"I want to be there with you too." Mother amazed me with her exclaim. I looked at her and saw the same thing I felt reflecting in her eyes.

"El mayarah" I recited again and mother nodded with a warm smile.

And we both faced father's hologram picture. I saw the trepidation in his face. Contemplating our decision to be with him in the undoubtedly dangerous situation. I knew he wanted to deny us, but upon seeing the determination in our features, he caved in.

"El mayarah."

* * *

Me and mother stayed in a car with a guard and a driver, parked in a safe distance from the building that was holding my baby sister captive. Father had asked us to stay put and not to get any closer until this was over. Instead he had given me an intercom device so we could stay in the loop and call if something happened.

The minutes dragged on and Rao was getting closer to the ground level, causing the shadows to stretch, making me and mother more restless.

The enforcers had surrounded the house. There had been no sudden moves. The kidnappers' demand was for father to drop his lawsuit against a man named Jaol. He was the brain behind this kidnapping and the head of a chain of criminals who were still smuggling slaves to Daxam, even though it had been banned so many years ago. Jaol and many others had disobeyed the new law and had kept selling people like animals to their disgusting clients for years in secret and father had found out about it last year. Despite months of anonymous threatening, my father hadn't given up his pursuit to find the master mind behind the trafficking to put him behind the bars. But in the end it had cost him his daughter being kidnapped.

Ultimately, after hours of tiring and nerve breaking negotiations with Jaol, the talks led to a dead end and we shivered as we heard the kidnapper threatened to harm Elin. Me and mother heard with frightful hearts, as the captain ordered the forces to open fire and infiltrated the building.

The shootings continued for long minutes and the intercom broadcasted only shouts and bangs. The transmission stopped soon. No one was on the other side to answer us anymore and we could do nothing, but cling to each other and pray in silence.

"Kara? Tyren? I have her! Elin is with me. She's ok."

Father's panting and excited voice shattered the dreading bubble of silence we were trapped in.

"Mon-El?"

Mother shouted with relief, holding the intercom device with trembling hands and completely speechless. I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. Tears of happiness. I couldn't say anything either. Tears blurred my vision as well

"She's here Kara. She's just scared. I'm bringing her to you right now."

"Thank Rao" Mother dropped the device and pulled me in her arms sobbing hard.

When we both managed to settle ourselves down a bit, we scrambled out of the car. Impatient for father and Elin's arrival. We didn't let go of each other, grounding each other by holding hands.

I heard father's footsteps before seeing him. Murmuring something constantly, he was clutching a very frightened Elin tightly to his chest. Uncle Kal was following them closely with a broad grin on his face. I was rooted to the ground, unable to move or utter a sound. I saw a cut on father's forehead, bleeding, but it was as if he wasn't aware of it at all. His entire focus was on calming Elin as he brought her to us.

Mother let go of my hand and ran to them with outstretched hands. She burst into tears again as she pulled Elin into her embrace and showered her with kisses.

" _Elin-nizu_." She cried, her pain and relief laced through her voice.

" _Leiu…Mya_ " Elin whimpered weekly, clinging to mother. I felt the hot tears pouring out of my eyes again. Uncle Kal came to my side and gripped my shoulder.

Mother's legs were about to give out and if it wasn't for father she would have lost her balance, but with his strong arms around her waist, he held them up right and then he turned his head to see where I was.

"Tyren come here. It's ok _Arne_. It's all over dear."

And with that I ran to my family on wobbly legs, hugging them with everything I had and cried openly.

* * *

After a thorough medical check-up for both Elin and father, resulting only in some stitches for fathers head injury – to our relief, nothing serious – it was time for us to go back home.

Fortunately Elin was fine. Apart from a scraped knee and being starved, no harm had come to her. They had only kept her locked down in a room and had even given her food which she had refused to eat. Elin's red puffy eyes told me she had cried a lot since being taken away from us.

The forces had entered just in time and with father in the leading team, they had extracted Elin without a scratch. (Almost, if you took in the scratch on her knee.)

The ride home this time was completely different from the last time. Though there were tears involved, they were happy ones, ones that set us free from the tensions. Elin had her face buried in mother's chest the whole ride, but she let me hold her small, dirty hand. It felt cold against my skin and I held it, warming it – still feeling remorseful. She raised her head to look at me.

" _hanon?_ "

"Hey _nessa_. I'm right here. I'm sorry this happened Elin. It was my fault." I couldn't stop the words coming from my mouth.

"It wasn't your fault. I forgive you _hanon_." She told me in her small tired voice. And for the first time in two days I felt my heart finally unclenched and freed from the heavy weight of guilt. It was as if I could breathe again.

I didn't let go of her hand this time. Not ever again.

Elin didn't let go of mother for the whole night. I didn't blame her for being so clingy. And mother didn't let go of her either, needing to feel her in her arms constantly to make sure of her presence to convince herself that Elin was here for real and the nightmare had ended.

Mother took Elin to bath after feeding her a warm meal. We all took turns to bath, not having the heart to look after ourselves for two days. We all needed to clean, change and have proper meal.

I couldn't help but notice how everything seemed bright and heartwarming. Like a veil had been lifted from my eyes and mind. Even the colors on everything seemed vivid and enriched.

Finally I felt tiredness pulling my eyelids down, and this time I was ready to give in to sleep with consent, but I wanted to make sure that everything was fine before going to bed. So I went to check how everyone was doing.

Father was making some calls, while drying his hair with a towel in his study. Uncle Kal was passed out on a couch and mother was playing with Elin since she refused to go to sleep before playing with her doll – which she terribly missed. When mother noticed uncle Kal's snores, she asked me to wake him and tell him to go sleep comfortably on his bed in the guest room. Using this chance to jock with uncle Kal, I tried to wake him up by tickling him with a feather. I laughed hard when he fell down the couch, feeling like my lungs were about to give out and he roared with laughter too upon finding himself on the carpet. Our laughs drew out the other to the living room. Grabbing at my stomach, I leaned forward and laughed even harder at the sight of bewilderment on my parents' faces. And suddenly Elin broke into a round of giggles and snorts - after being unusually quiet since her return which had worried us.

I never imagined all that my parents needed to become happy again - like before all this happened - , all I needed this whole time, was to hear Elin's childish laughs. The four of us stood there – with uncle Kal still sprawled on the floor unable to get up from the laughter – and laughed for Rao knows how long stupidly, and then we took turns to hug and kiss Elin.

And I knew it in my heart that everything was better than ok when I went to bed and father tucked me in. I fell asleep effortlessly.

Later nightmares caught me unawares in the dreams and I jerked awake, cold sweat covering my torso and face while tremors rattled my body. I blinked rapidly to wash away the after images of the horrible nightmare, in which Elin had never come back home.

I went to check on Elin. I needed to see her curled under her favorite yellow blanket and clutching her doll like every night she did.

But she wasn't in her bed. My heart started to pound heavily like it weighed a ton. Suddenly I feared that I had imagined Elin being rescued and frantically went to my parents' bedroom in the completely dark hallway with bare feet. Stopping at the foot of their bed, I looked at their sleeping forms.

I moved closer to father. He had his back to me, facing mother. The soft rise and fall of their breathing did little to calm my nerves. I felt my hands shaking hard as I reached forward to call my father awake.

Then I saw Elin cuddled into mother's chest. The wave of relief hit me so hard that I wanted to lay down right there, right then.

I guess I sighed loud enough for mother to awaken from her light slumber. In the darkness, I saw she raised her head in my direction.

"Tyren?" Mother whispered.

" _Mya_ , I was…" I answered her as quietly, unable to explain my reason to be there.

"Come here." She spread her hand towards me. I went near her. Though we couldn't see each other's face, I knew she sensed my unease. Like she somehow knew I had woken from a nightmare. "Do you want to sleep here tonight dear?" She squeezed my hand. "It's okay unah, I want you close tonight as well."

Without saying anything more, I carefully climbed onto their bed and tried to fit myself in the small gap between Elin and father. Despite my efforts not to wake father, I heard him taking in a deep breath, marking his awakening. He shifted a bit to make more room for me without saying anything and I felt his heavy, warm arm wrapping around me as soon as I laid my head down on the side of his pillow. Spooning me from behind, he put a sleepy kiss on the back of my head. I watched Elin's sleeping face. The only one who hadn't even stirred during this commotion. I fell asleep while holding Elin's hand – the one she wasn't clutching her fluffy doll with.

I can't remember ever sleeping as peacefully as I did that night in my entire life.

And I always believe that we are truly stronger when we are together.

El mayarah.

 **End of Part 1**


	4. Recalling-Chapter 1: Time and Space

**Recalling**

 **Chapter 1: Time and Space**

My name is Elin. I'm the daughter of the last King and Queen of Daxam. I wish I could say I'm a princess, but my parents are not monarchy anymore, and therefore I have no title as a princess. I don't mind that though, I love my family and don't think I would ever need anything more than just to be with them.

I love my mother Kara. I love how she sings to me a Kryptonian lullaby with her beautiful voice whenever I ask her for it, how she brushes my hair with great care or braids it, how she teaches me Kryptonese patiently, how she spends time to play with me, how she reads my mind and how her scent fills me when I'm in her embrace, calming and fragrant like those flowers she keeps in her room.

And I love my father Mon-El just as much as my mother. I love how he tells me that I'm the most beautiful girl in the galaxy, how he presses me into his warm chest – where I feel safest, how he knows everything, how he surprises me with new toys, how he loves to kiss the skin right beneath my ear and how it tickles against his beard.

And I love my big brother Tyren. He has my father's dark hair and we both have our mother's azure eyes, which father likes to call comets. Tyren is valiant, kind and smart. He's always there for me, helps me with school assignments whenever I ask him for it and looks out for me. Sometimes he mocks my drawings, eats my share of snacks, uses my painting kit without asking me first, never laughs at my jokes and instead tells me unbelievable and scary things which I used to fall for them, but not anymore. Despite being irritated with him from time to time, I adore him and he is the best hanon in the world to me.

And above everything else, I love all the moments when all four of us are together. I don't think there is anything I like more than a memory I have of us, when we were all laughing together at uncle Kal sprawled on the ground and Tyren was bent forward with tears of laughter in his eyes. I remember how I couldn't stop laughing at them and how everyone hugged me and kissed me and I had never felt as loved and happy as I did that day.

With all that I know as an eight year old girl, I can imagine no other memory more joyful than this.

I wish we could always be together like that, but my parents have important responsibilities as the leaders of our planet and they have to be away for many hours every day. Though mother tries to be more around and be there for me and Tyren.

I know that my parents' job is very demanding. I notice how they return home tired at the end of the day. Father sometimes passes out on the couch before getting to go to bed, or mother falls asleep in my bed before finishing the page of the book she is reading to me some nights. I often see them stressed and Tyren has told me how my parents are trying to make Daxam a better place like Krypton and how difficult this is to achieve, because many oppose my parents. But just like Tyren, I believe in them and I know they will be successful in turning Daxam into a better place eventually. I'm so proud of my parents. They are my heroes and I want to be just like them when I grow up.

Tyren also has told me about the dangers our parents face, although he didn't elaborate on that subject. I think he knows something that he's not telling me. I'm not sure what kind of dangers they face.

The thought of my parents being in danger disturbs me. Sometimes I have clear dreams of being kept alone in a room and crying for my mya, atar and Tyren. They're the worst nightmares I've ever had, even worse than the ugly Garata dragon ones that I used to have – Those have become far less frequent fortunately. The thing is, these dreams feel different from my normal dreams. They feel much more realistic. Whenever I tell Tyren or my parents about this nightmare, they just tell me no to think of these dreams and stay away from strangers, even if they look funny like a clown and I always tell them that they don't need to worry about the clowns, since I hate clowns and it's weird because I don't know why. I just know that they appear in my nightmares from time to time and scare the hell out of me. They are NOT funny at all.

* * *

I was really happy that afternoon. I had received the top mark for my brief essay on one of my favorite books for Daxamite literature class. When I got home, I went to find Tyren and to show him the four stars I had got from the teacher. I was super excited to tell everyone about it, but I wanted to specially let Tyren know, because he had helped me writing it. It was about one of the tales of Valor. Tyren loved that book. Used to read me his favorite parts and as soon as I learned how to read, he had let me read the old book. The book originally belonged to father, but now it was in Tyren's bookshelf all the time.

Though there weren't that many paper books on Daxam anymore, my family owned one of the biggest collection of books on all the Daxam. And I loved reading the paper books much better than the hologram scans.

The essay was about a character called Elin-Em, my namesake. I always loved it when Tyren told me that tale in an excited and melodramatic tone. It was actually one of the few games we played together. He would become Valor and I was Elin-Em and was supposed to pretend that I was in the clutches of the fire monster, calling out to him to come and save me. Tyren would wear a ridiculous blue blanket as his cape and grab his fake sword and fought the imaginary monster, rescuing me every time, all the while reciting all the lines of the book with impressive accuracy.

Sometime my father would participate in this game too, pretending to be the monster and held me in his arms as though I was his hostage and we always complained at him, because he was a bad player and wouldn't fight hard enough to keep me from being saved, died too easily and kept kissing me in the middle of the game! We always laughed at him in the end though. After Tyren would strike his last blow to finish the monster, father would threw himself dramatically on the rug with his tongue hilariously dangling out. He would stay with eyes closed like this on the ground for so long that we had to go check on him and he always waited until we were close enough and suddenly would jump to pull us down with himself swiftly, tickling us mercilessly and gave us watery kisses. Tyren could wiggle out of this trap faster since he was bigger, but I couldn't free myself from father and always ended up completely numb after laughing so hard for so long.

We hadn't play that game for a long while. Tyren had grown out of it lately, and I missed it. That was why this essay was so important to me and I was proud of it. I ran upstairs to Tyren's room and saw his door open.

"Tyren! Tyren! Look!"

I saw him sitting behind his desk with his back to me. Oddly he didn't turn to me after calling him so enthusiastically. I walked to him with unsure steps.

"Tyren?"

"Not now Elin. I want to be alone."

Tyren answered me in a very cold voice, without even turning around. I started to feel worried.

" _Hanon_ , what's wrong? Are you ok?"

"I SAID NOT NOW!"

He scared me by jumping up from his chair with his fist clenched at his sides. When he turned around I gasped at the sight of his face with a black eye and torn lip.

"Tyren! What happened?"

I felt tears pooling in my eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it! Leave me ALONE Elin!"

"But I WANT to know!"

"You WON'T understand! You're just AN IGNORANT LITTLE GIRL!"

"AND YOU'RE JUST A STUPID EGOTISTICAL DAXAMITE!"

I yelled at him furiously and dashed out of his room to seek refuge in my own room, slamming the door shut behind me with an angry scream and then let my tears fall.

I threw the forgotten starred essay on my desk and tried to calm myself. I was too angry to do the things I usually did, like changing clothes or washing my hands. I just lay down on bed and couldn't understand why Tyren would lash out at me like that out of nowhere. Why would he be angry with me if he'd gotten into a fight with someone? I would tell _mya_ and _atar_ about him!

After a while my eyes fell on the book that I was half way through. It was my mother's favorite book, Star-Crossed. It was obvious how many times she had read it and it was in Kryptonese, which made me slower at reading. I was still learning the language and forgot how some letters pronounced. I busied myself with the book, often distracted by thinking angrily about Tyren. I wasn't sure how long passed until I heard someone knocking on my door and entering.

"Hello? Elin? Anyone home?"

Mother came in with a smile on her face, her long beautiful blonde hair freely running over her shoulders and down in neat curls and she was in her usual blue gown, which she wore to work. I hadn't heard her arriving. Usually me and Tyren would hear her coming and run downstairs to greet her. It must have seemed strange that no one had come down.

" _Mya_! I didn't hear you coming!" I rushed to hug her.

"Elin-nizu? Why are you still in your school uniform?" Mother hugged me back and kissed the top of my head. She called me _Elin-nizu_ again. I always told her that I'm a big girl and she shouldn't call me that anymore, but she always forgot.

"Nothing. I forgot." Suddenly all the things I had prepared to tell her about Tyren, the anger, all dissipated, leaving only worry behind. Worry for my brother. Since mother always could read through me, she sensed something was off. She pulled me out of her embrace and looked at my face closely. I suppose my eye were still a bit red from crying.

"What's wrong sweetheart?"

"It's Tyren _mya_ , he… "

"He what?" She rubbed my arms soothingly, looking at me with worried eyes.

I could never lie to her, or leave her question unanswered. Not when she stared at me like that.

"He must have gotten into a fight. He's face is bruised! He didn't tell me what happened and shouted at me to leave him alone!" I blurted out.

Mother looked at me in concern and disbelief and then walked out of my room promptly. I followed her suit and she went to stand in front of Tyren's closed door.

"Tyren? Are you in there?" Mother knocked firmly on his door as I watched in worry.

"Mya PLEASE I want to be alone!" Tyren's voice sounded as dejected as before.

"Tyren you're making us worried! Please open this door, right now!"

There was a moment of silence when no one spoke and no sounds could be heard, until Tyren opened the door. He was only a few inches shorter than mother. He stood in the door frame, not looking at either of us. His right eye was almost closed, inflated and purple, and his lower lip was covered in blood and swollen. He was still in his school uniform like me. I noticed some of the buttons were torn and one of his sleeves was ripped at his shoulder.

I felt anger rising in me again, but not at Tyren this time. I felt a rush of a strong affection for my brother. A sharp feeling completely new to me. A need to avenge him and hurt the one who had dared to hurt my dear _hanon_. I had never felt like this before. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes again as my heart clenched under the emotions.

"Oh, Tyren what happened to you?"

Mother put her hands softly on both sides of Tyren's head and tilted his head up to look at the injuries more closely. From her voice, I sensed how much she was saddened by seeing him hurt.

"Nothing _mya._ I… I'd rather not talk about it." Tyren didn't shout this time, but his voice was filled with pain. He brought his hands up to remove mother's hands. For some reason, he looked ashamed.

"This is not nothing Tyren. Who did this?"

Mother sounded much more demanding this time, her voice much steadier.

"Please mya I… father would be so ashamed… I don't want you to…"

Tyren tailed off and I saw his one good eye turned glossy. Tyren never cried. Tyren was the strongest boy I knew.

"Your father will never be ashamed of you my beautiful _unah_. Why would you say that? Please tell me? I listen." Mother soothingly rubbed circles with her thumbs on the back of his hands – she hadn't let go of them the whole time. Only then I noticed that Tyren's knuckles were wounded too.

Tyren noticed my presence. "Ok but only you."

"Of course."

Mother turned to me. I wanted to object. I wanted so much to know what had happened.

" _Elin-nizu_ , I want to speak with Tyren. Could you give us some time?"

"But-"I looked at Tyren. He had turned his head the other way and I couldn't see his face anymore.

"Sweetheart, why don't you go change your clothes?" Mother squeezed my shoulders gently, I looked at her pleading eyes and nodded reluctantly. "Ok."

She put a quick kiss on my forehead and I walked back to my room, keep thinking what they might be talking about in Tyren's room, behind the closed door.

It had been more than half an hour I had no luck in reading my book and kept looking out of the window, watching Rao coming closer to the horizon. I was following the patterns of my bed cover with my fingers when I heard father's arrival. With renewed excitement, I ran down stairs to see him. He had barely shut the door behind himself when I threw myself at him, giggling.

" _Atar_! You're home early!"

He caught me effortlessly in his arms, laughing into my ear and put a kiss on my cheek, his beard feeling a bit ticklish on my skin.

"How's my beautiful _meril_?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back firmly on the cheek. "I got four stars today!"

"That's my girl!"

Father gave me another quick kiss, before putting me down. He walked to put his bag in his study and I followed him, having nothing else to do at the moment.

"Where is everyone?" Father asked a few minutes later when mother and Tyren didn't show up.

"Ehm… I guess they're still talking." I had no idea what I could tell my father about Tyren. His injured face and begging words that he didn't want father to know, had made me hesitant to tell him everything I knew.

"Talking? Must be serious."

I shrugged and felt him staring at me. Fortunately he didn't ask me further and I left him so he could change and take a shower, doing the routine tasks he did every evening.

A bit later, father came into living room – where I was sitting and struggling with Star-Crossed again – with a towel around his neck. "Elin? Where are _mya_ and Tyren?"

"In Tyren's room, I think." I bit my lip. "Should I go call them _atar_?"

"No, let them talk." Father shook his head and moved in the direction of the kitchen. "Are you hungry sweetheart?"

I put my book away and went to follow him. "A little."

"Let's find something to eat together then." He stroked my hair softly.

I wasn't really hungry, but I felt a bit lonely without Tyren and _mya_ around, so I followed father to seek his company and maybe tell him more about my essay since I hadn't found the chance to tell anyone about it.

We were near the kitchen when we both heard voices.

"Ouch!"

"Oh, so sorry dear!"

"You don't need to do this _leiu_ , I can do it myself."

"Yes, but I want to do it."

Father stopped in the doorway in surprise. Mother and Tyren were sitting on stools at the kitchen island, and mother was holding Tyren's chin up with one hand to pad at his lower lip with a cotton cloth, cleaning the blood. When they noticed us in the doorway, they stopped and Tyren jumped from his seat abruptly.

"Father! You're home!" Tyren seemed uncharacteristically spooked at father's presence.

"Hey, what's going on?" Father stepped closer, taking in the sight of Tyren's beaten up face. "Tyren? What happened? Are you ok _arne_?"

"Yes atar, I'm fine. You…You don't have to worry about me." Tyren nodded profusely, his eye looking at anything except father's eyes.

"Mon-El." Mother came to greet father, putting her arms around him. "His fine now, don't worry _zohr_."

Father put his hands on mother's waist and looked at her briefly with a smile, and nodded before returning his attention back to Tyren.

"Tyren?" Father called Tyren to make him look at his eyes, his voice worried.

" _Atar_ I promise I'll tell you everything later. Please can you wait?" Tyren finally brought up his head to look at father.

"Of course _arne_." Father gave him a gentle smile. He then walked up to Tyren and wrapped his arms around him, making Tyren's eyes widen with astonishment.

"But that doesn't mean I can't hug my son after being away for a whole day."

Tyren hugged father back and I saw his face finally turning relaxed, the corners of his mouth pulling up to form a smile and then wincing when it tugged at the cut on his lower lip.

I felt the tension literally lifted from the atmosphere. Looking up at mother, I saw she was smiling with fondness. She seemed to be as relieved as me. For a while no one spoke.

"Ok, so what's for dinner?" Father broke the silence.

"I can eat a whole Garata! I didn't have lunch today." Tyren remarked in a happy tone, making me laugh.

"Well we don't have Garata, but I think we can come up with something decent." Mother walked towards the fridge.

We all helped around and made dinner ready together, joking and laughing as if nothing had happened. I thought Tyren enjoyed that a lot after being grim all day. I also found a chance to gloat about my essay.

* * *

Later that night Tyren and father went to his study to talk. Since I felt left out and mother didn't seem willing to tell me what had happened to Tyren at school, I tried to eavesdrop. I checked mother was in her room and got myself to the study and put my left ear on the shut door.

"… shouldn't have done that _atar_ , but… but I lost it." Tyren sounded ashamed.

"Yes it was wrong, but I only tell you that you should learn from this to control your anger. If this happens next time something worse can happen. You could get much more hurt or injure the other badly, and regrets won't do you good anymore." Father's deep voice was calm and unwavering.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I promise I won't do it again. "

"So what did he exactly say to make you this angry Tyren?

Tyren didn't answer. I pressed my ear harder to the door. He was mumbling something I couldn't hear.

"I know you Tyren. You don't get angry so easily."

"He…He said such hateful and terrible things. I…" Tyren stuttered.

"You can tell me _arne_. I want to know what made you this angry to sooth your frustration, so this doesn't happen again."

"He called you a traitor and then he insulted mya and called me and Elin filthy hybrids." Tyren's voice was so quiet and quivering that I had difficulty hearing his every word, but my heart rate quickened at hearing the insults. Hybrids? What did that even mean? What a horrible boy to call our father a traitor! If only I could see the boy who had offended my family like this and had beaten my brother I would -

"Elin!"

Mother's voice startled me and I jumped. She was standing in front of me with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. I bit my lower lip hard. This looked really bad. I moved away from the door with a blush and couldn't come up with any excuse.

"Elin it's not right to listen to others when they are trying to speak in privet!"

Mother took my hand in hers and guided me back to my room.

"I'm sorry _mya,_ but why won't anyone tell me what happened?"

Mother sighed and then stopped to kneel in front of me so she could be under my eye level.

"I know how much you're worried for Tyren sweetheart, but sometimes people need time to share you some things and you should give them time, so they can come to you themselves. Tyren needs time and space."

"Is he ok? Is he in trouble for getting into a fight?"

Mother stood up and pulled me into a tight hug. "His okay sweetheart. He probably isn't allowed to go back to school for a few days, but he's okay."

I reveled in the feeling of mother's closeness a bit longer, before pulling out. "I promise I won't do that again and I'll wait for Tyren to be ready to talk to me."

Mother smiled warmly at me and pulled me back for a kiss on my cheek. "My beautiful and smart _inah_." She called me daughter in Kryptonese.


	5. Recalling-Chapter 2: Crooked Words

**Recalling**

 **Chapter 2: Crooked Words**

That night I had that nightmare again. I was in a small room. The lighting was poor and I was afraid. My cheeks were wet with my tears as I heard shouting and loud bangs from beyond the door. I was crouched in a corner, with my hands on my ears, unable to move. It always ended here, but that night it didn't.

I saw the door open and someone stepped inside. The dark tall silhouette came closer to tower over me. The moment the weak beam of light casted on him, I saw his face, covered in blood. My heart stopped and I jerked awake violently with a silent scream on my lips.

Feeling utterly terrified, I jumped out of my bed and ran to my parent's bedroom in dark. Mother and father were asleep in each other's arms, with father hugging mother from behind. I hesitated to wake them by seeing them sleeping so peacefully and deeply, but the nightmare was still fresh in my mind and the shadows were playing tricks on me. I could see shapes lurking in the darkness and shivered.

I tip-toed to my mother's side and tried to gently waken her. " _Leiu_?" I croaked quietly as I touched her hand – the one which was covering father's arm over her waist.

She moved her head almost immediately, opening her eyes narrowly.

"Elin?" Mother whispered, still groggy.

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

Mother slowly shifted father's hand away from herself and lifted the blanket. Father stirred the other way without waking up, as if he got the message and I crawled under the blanket, pressing myself into mother's warm body, feeling like the shadow monsters couldn't touch me anymore. She ran a hand threw my hair sleepily.

"Was it that nightmare again sweetheart?"

I nodded into her chest, not feeling like talking at that moment. I only wanted to drown myself in that warm safety of being close to my mother. She didn't ask anything more and instead put a kiss on my temple.

"It's ok, it was just a nightmare." Mother kept caressing my hair until I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I couldn't feel mother's presence anymore. I opened my eyes and instead saw father standing in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his red shirt with his back to me. I was the only one in bed.

"Morning my little sunshine!" Father chirped as he turned around and saw me awake.

"Morning _atar_." I answered with a yawn. I was still tired. I wished I didn't have school that day.

"Time to get up sweetheart, you've already overslept." Father came and kissed me to urge me out of bed.

"But I'm still sleepy! Can I stay home today?"

"Elin? Are you awake?" Mother came into their room, all dressed and ready for work.

"Morning _mya_."

"Morning sweetheart. You better get ready for school soon. Your breakfast is ready on the table."

"Can I stay home today? Please I still want to sleep." I tried to reach for the blanket.

"Are you still tired from last night?" Mother came closer to bed.

"Yeah, I hate that nightmare. I'm scared of seeing it again." I closed my eyes again, my eyelids complied easily as they felt still heavy with fatigue.

"Was it different last night?" Father's question made me open my eyes reluctantly and nod.

"I saw a man." I could feel both my parents' heavy stares on me. Sitting up on the mattress, I wet my lip before continuing. "He opened the door and came towards me. I saw… I saw his face covered in blood." I shivered a bit at the end.

I noticed my parents exchange a worried look and mother pulled me in her arms and rubbed my back.

"It's okay _Elin-nizu_. Don't think about it. It was just a bad dream."

"I know." I admitted.

"It's important that you go to school today. It will keep your mind away from the nightmare. If you stay home, you'll be thinking about it all day."

I sighed. "Ok"

"And I think you only need some tickles to help you out of the bed."

Father playfully came closer to attack my belly and I squealed and jumped to put mother between me and father, but he was persistent and I had to run away to my room so he wouldn't follow me. I didn't feel tired anymore and went to quickly get ready for school. As I was quickly finishing my breakfast, I noticed I hadn't seen Tyren that morning.

"Where's Tyren?"

"He's not going to school for a few days. He's asleep." Mother explained as she was looking for something in the kitchen. Both my parents were ready to head for work, and were only waiting for me. Usually I would be picked up by the school shuttle, but since I had missed it, they wanted to drop me at school themselves.

"Oh I forgot."

I went to get my back pack so we could finally leave the house.

"You're ready sweetheart?" Father asked as I approached the front door where he was standing.

"Yes father."

I saw mother coming towards us as well. "Then let's get going."

With that father opened the door.

* * *

A week later father announced that he and mother had a business to attend on Krypton for a few days and they had decided to take me and Tyren with them as well. Both me and Tyren cheered and were excited to meet our grandparents and uncle Kal.

I packed everything I could. I even packed the action figures despite mother's protest. They were Tyren's old ones he didn't want anymore and had given them to me. My clothes, Star-Crossed, a painting kit and two of my favorite dolls all on top of each other in the sack. I was super excited for this trip. We hadn't been to Krypton for almost a year and I missed everyone there.

Arriving at the hangar, father sent our luggage ahead, before discussing some things with the spaceship pilot and then we all got on board. The ship had six seats in two rows facing each other, and not that big. I quickly picked a seat close to the front window behind the pilot's seat and sat on it with my feet hovering inches above the floor and swung them in anticipation for the launch. The launch was always exhilarating. I looked at others. Tyren was sitting right in front of me, looking out of the window with a happy smile. He seemed happier than he had been since the fight. His eye was almost completely healed, only a faint purplish yellow hue was shadowing his eye and the only sign of his lip injury was a thin dark red line. He hadn't talked with me about what happened. I wanted to ask him every day, but remembering what mother had said, I had decided to wait longer for him.

"Okay, Ladies and gentlemen fasten your seatbelts." The pilot requested in a delightful tone as he was pushing some buttons and fiddling with a monitor. I saw others moving to fasten their belts, but since I had fasten mine the moment I had sat, I sat impatiently.

The ship door slowly closed with a hissing sound and a click. Suddenly I felt the space around me shrinking, walls closing in. My heart rate was rising and I saw flashes of that nightmare again. Frantically, I looked around, blinking rapidly, my eyes stopped on Tyren, seeing his gaze on me.

"Elin you ok?"

I nodded and chewed on my lip. Why did I feel that way? This had never happened before. The hum of the jets started to grow louder and the pilot announced that we were taking off in thirty seconds. I kept my eyes on the window and felt a bit less stressed. The moment the spaceship left the ground and my belly felt that fuzzy strange rush, the nightmare left my mind and I felt excited again.

The flight to Krypton was uneventful and luckily I didn't feel anything strange again. After landing we headed to my grandparents' house and me and Tyren went to the room which we used to share whenever we came to Krypton, to put our stuff in it.

I stood in front of the wide window that was taking almost the whole side of the room and had a remarkable view of the Argo city skyline. The modern city my mother had grown up in. I couldn't wait to get on one of those pods again and explore the city like we always did when we came here. I was so distracted by the sight that I hadn't noticed Tyren had been standing next to me, equally mesmerized by the view.

"Young masters, your parents call you to join them for dinner."

Both of us turned around and met Kalex. It was the robot that served the house of El. He guided us to the dining room, needlessly so, since we knew our way around the house after visiting many times.

* * *

"Uncle Kal!"

I screamed energetically the moment I saw him entering and ran to throw myself in his wide spread arms. He pulled me up, threw me a bit up in the air and caught me like he always did when I greeted him, making me screech.

"How's my favorite little bright ehl?"

He called me star in Kryptonese – his nickname for me – before giving me a firm lingering kiss. We hadn't seen each other for almost a year. He had been away, on a long journey, and now he was adorning a thick beard on his face and seemed tanned and much different from the last time I had seen him.

"I'm good! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too sweetheart. Look how much you've grown since last time I saw you!" He bounced me in his arms as if to show me how much heavier I'd become.

"You look grown up too!"

He roared with laughter and then put me down to go say hello to others. Tyren rolled his eyes. I knew how much he liked to be around uncle Kal and seemed jealous that I had beaten him in being the first one to greet uncle Kal with my melodramatics.

My parents and my grandparents later left for a council meeting to discuss some business and left me and Tyren with uncle Kal.

Uncle Kal told us about his latest adventure at length and then he and Tyren fell into a deep talk. Tyren was trying to convince uncle Kal to take him to outskirts of Argo city to see one of the famous enormous creatures on Krypton that could fly and only brave men had succeeded in taming them to ride them. He had learned about them recently and had declared his plan to definitely ride one of them in this trip. It sounded so awesome to ride a flying animal. I couldn't remember the name of the creature. The pronunciation was hard. I envied Tyren's skill in talking Kryptonese so fluently. He talked completely in Kryptonese with uncle and sometimes I couldn't understand what they were saying.

I tried to talk to uncle Kal as well the first chance I got. I told him about my essay and then I talked proudly about my plan to visit a Kryptonian school the next day. I was eager to see their modern classrooms and spend a day there. Tyren only scoffed at me.

At last uncle Kal agreed to take Tyren to see those animals next morning. It would be a one day trip and they wouldn't be back until dinner time. He only had to get father's permission.

"Can I come too uncle? PLEASE? I want to see them too!" I pleaded with uncle Kal the moment they fell silent.

"I thought you said you were visiting the school tomorrow." Uncle Kal reminded me.

"I can visit another day!" I suggested.

Tyren snorted, looking at me with a raised brow. "No, you're too little, and the trip isn't for girls!"

"I'm not LITTLE!" I protested, feeling my cheeks blush in anger from being mocked.

"Yes you are! You think everyone should do as you please and take you everywhere, because you think you're a princess! You act like a good girl, but you love the attention! GROW UP ELIN! When are you going to understand that our parents are not the king and queen anymore! YOU'RE NOT A PRINCESS!"

"I DON'T THINK LIKE THAT!" I shrieked and jumped up with my fists clenched at my side, glaring daggers at Tyren.

"YES YOU DO!" He jumped to his feet as well, his height almost dwarfing me.

"NO I DON'T" I stomped my right feet hard, greeting my teeth.

"YES YOU DO!"

Uncle Kal was looking at us with wide shocked eyes. "Hey guys stop this!"

We both ignored him.

"And you think you're smarter and better than me, but you're just a stupid BULLY! You're not the HERO you think you are!" I returned his cruel words back at him in Kryptonese and I was sure, I pretty much smooched many words together and said half of it in Daxamite in my hurry and irritation.

"You can't even talk Kryptonese properly! You're only gonna humiliate yourself in that school tomorrow!"

Tyren spat his acidic words at me, his icy blue eyes sparkling with resentment. Like I was the reason for all the bad things that had happened to him until now. I felt tears stinging my eyes and I hated that. I hated that every time I got angry, the tears filled my eyes. I wanted to insult him, punch and kick him. Not crying. I charged at him in a fury and pushed him with all my might, but he barely moved an inch, like I was only a fly. He started to laugh which made me even angrier. Uncle Kal was saying something, but I couldn't hear him, too busy punching Tyren.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

One of my fists in his stomach made him gasp and he pushed me back in defense, making me stumble backwards, but uncle Kal caught my weight before I fell down.

"STOP IT YOU TWO!" We'd made uncle Kal angry. Something that had never happened.

For a moment me and Tyren only scowled at each other hatefully and then I forced myself out of uncle Kal's hold and ran away from the living room.

I didn't go anywhere near Tyren the whole day. Didn't even look at him. I hated him so much that day that I threw his old action figures – the ones I had brought with me to Krypton – across the room. Even reading Star-Crossed reminded me how he taunted my weak Kryptonese and ended up drawing formless figures and adding messy colors to them on my sketch book with no point for hours, seething.

At dinner everyone caught easily on my and Tyren's unresponsive and cold behavior. They didn't say anything, but later our parents demanded us to explain the reason and couldn't coax us into saying much. We both only claimed that we had an argument. I think Tyren predicted I would tell our parents everything, telling them of his harsh words and even him nearly pushing me to the ground, but I didn't say a word. His mocking voice in my head had made me determined to keep it to myself, thinking he would see me a weak little girl, who only knew how to run to her parents so they would fix things for her. I hated that he thought I liked to be a princess more than being his little sister.

Our parents eventually gave up on us and it was time for bed. I never imagined my first day on this trip would end up so disappointing. Without even saying goodnight to each other, me and Tyren went to our beds, situated on opposite sides of the room. Instead of thinking of the school – which I was supposed to visit the next day – I stayed awake long, wondering if Tyren had managed to get permission to go on that troublesome trip he so dearly wished to go to, convincing myself what a lame trip it was going to be. I also was thinking whether uncle Kal had told on us to our parents. I think Tyren was awake too, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Probably thinking of more insults for me.

* * *

Our silent treatment for each other continued in the next morning. I had no problem playing along, no matter how long it took until he apologized and took back his words. The others though, didn't take our silence at breakfast that well and their efforts to make us to talk to each other had no result.

Afterwards, Tyren went with uncle Kal, and I didn't even stay around to say goodbye. I went to gather my stuff for the school. Mother and father later called me so we could get into a pod and take me to the school. They didn't say anything until we landed on the school small hangar.

"Elin, are you ok with going to school today?" Father asked with a furrowed brow, as he looked at me doubtfully, like he wasn't sure whether my sulking was because of my fight with Tyren or I wasn't comfortable with attending the school.

"Yes, I want to see the school." I replied rather indifferently.

"Are you sure sweetheart? You know you're not forced to do this. We could find you something else to do today." Mother said, her voice laced with the same concern as father's did.

"Yes I'm sure _mya_. I want to do this. I HAVE to do this!"

The last part just slipped from my mouth. I wanted to go to school and prove Tyren wrong about me being humiliated. I looked nervously at my parents, they looked even more confused than before.

" _Elin-nizu_ , why won't you tell us what happened between you and Tyren?" Mother looked at me longingly. I knew how much she wanted to help me, like she always did, but I still wasn't ready to tell them anything. When I didn't answer, father spoke up.

"You know you can tell us everything sweetheart, right?"

I nodded. "I know _atar_ , I'm just not ready yet." I looked at mother again. "I need time and space."

She gave me a small smile and kissed me on the cheek. "Of course. Anytime you're ready, we'll be here."

Father hugged me tight and then it was time for me to leave them. They had to go for a meeting in the city of Candor and wouldn't be back until late hours in the night. Grandmother was to pick me up in the afternoon.

* * *

The classes were fascinating and unlike my insecurities, they went much better. I didn't feel lacking any sort of knowledge in the classes and except for not understanding some bits of what the instructors were saying in Kryptonese, I could follow the classes along with the rest of the students. That made me feel happy and open again. At the lunch break, I tried to befriend the other kids. After having lunch, we all had some time to wander around the yard until the next class – the final one of the day – started. There were ten students in the classes I had been to that day, all about my age. I stood close to them, not sure what I should say to start the conversation and all my fears about not speaking Kryptonian well enough, intensified by Tyren's words, came back to me, making me shy. So I kept listening to them. One of the boys who were taller than others was telling something animatedly.

"… And I asked my father when he would take me to see Star-Haven. I've heard they grow strange plants there that can make you smarter!"

All the kids seemed fascinated by the idea and some gasped. I was also intrigued. Why hadn't I heard about this plant the one time I had been to Star-Haven?

"I've been to Star-Haven once!" The words left my lips, before I could stop myself.

Everyone turned their heads to look at me. My heart was pounding as I felt their scrutinizing gazes on me.

"Sorry, who are you?" The tall boy asked in a slightly annoyed tone. I had interrupted him.

"Um… I'm Elin Gand." I blurted out, almost out of breath.

"Elin Gand?" one of the girls repeated my name with confusion.

"She's Kara Zor-El's daughter!" Another boy spoke up.

"Yes I'm Elin Gand from Daxam!" I nodded with a smile, glad that at least one of them knew who I was.

But the moment I said the word Daxam out loud, their looks changed. I couldn't understand why. No one said anything for a long while and I felt more stressed by the second. At last one of the girls stepped in front of me with an out stretched hand and a grin on her face.

"Nice to meet you Elin. I'm Mana-Dan"

I shook her hand enthusiastically, feeling relieved. "Hi Mana! Nice to meet you too."

A loud signal in the yard echoed, announcing the end of the lunch break. The sudden sound made me jump and I clumsily pulled my hand out of Mana's light grip.

"Is this the signal for the history class?" I looked at the other ten questioningly.

"Yes, you go ahead, we're right behind you."

Glad to have a reason to escape form their heavy stares, I walked fast towards the hallway, but stopped. I couldn't remember my way in these unsigned hallways, didn't know where the classroom was. Unfortunately I had left my bracelet in my bag. They had given me a special bracelet which could help me find my way around the school.

I had followed my classmates class to class since morning and didn't use the bracelet. Now I needed to wait until they came so I could find the history class. After waiting for long seconds and seeing none of my classmates appeared, I got impatient and went to find them back in the yard. I saw them standing closer together at the same spot they had been earlier with some other older students, talking. But I got cold feet to put myself back in the same situation for a second time. I was close enough to hear them. I remembered mother's warning not to eavesdrop on others, but my curiosity was piqued and I slid behind a pillar before any of them saw me.

"… No WAY she has seen Star-Haven!"

"Did you see how she spoke!? She can't even talk like us! Ugh, Daxamites have such an ugly accent!"

"Did you see how she dragged her hand out of mine?! Like I have a contagious disease! How insulting!" I recognized the voice. It was Mana-Dan.

"Hahaha! What did you expect from a Daxamite! They're retarded and barbaric!"

"I've heard they have slaves on Daxam!"

"But they have democracy now! I heard things are different there now! All the slaves have been freed for years"

"That's not true! My father says Daxam is always filled with liars, hedonists and ruthless people! They only say those to save their image!"

"How has Kara Zor-El even accepted to marry a Daxamite?!"

"I've heard it was an arrangement. The Royal family had threatened Zor-El and he was forced to marry her daughter to Prince Mon-El!"

"That can't be right! No one can blackmail a Kryptonian!"

"Maybe they have something over her family! Or maybe Zor-El wanted something from Daxam!"

"That must be it!"

"Ewww. How could she wed with a Daxamite! I'd rather die!"

"I've heard Daxamite men treat their wives with cruelty!"

"But Kara Zor-El doesn't look unhappy. They're both practically rulers of New Daxam and they seem to love each other!"

"Oh, you think she would tell others anything how awful her life is? No, my mother says she pretends to be in love with him! I bet she even lies about it to Elin and Tyren."


	6. Recalling-Chapter 3: Crystal Clear

**Recalling**

 **Chapter 3: Crystal Clear**

Next thing I knew, was running away from my hiding place to get myself far away from those voices. I ran with ragged breaths through the empty hallways to find somewhere else to hide. I vaguely heard another loud signal. They had lied to me. There was two signals for the end of lunch break. They had sent me away so they could freely talk behind my back.

I found a privet study room and went into it thoughtlessly – the history class long forgotten. I sat behind the small white desk and only then noticed how my hands were shaking. The voices replayed in my head over and over with the sound of their sneers and taunting laughs. The fake smile on Mana-Dan's face as she claimed to be happy to meet me suddenly became clear. How could I had not seen it before? Remembering their ugly words about my parents, I burst into tears. I put my head on my arms and cried as much as I had tears. Was it true? Did my parents married because they were forced to do it? Did they hate each other and pretended to love each other in front of me and Tyren? What if Tyren knew something and he didn't tell me because he hated me? But _atar_ was not cruel! He was kind! It had to be a lie! I knew it had to be all just mean words to drag me down, but I couldn't help feeling so heart broken and disgraced. I felt so stupid. Tyren had been right all along.

After what seemed at least an hour, I stopped crying and sniffling and contemplated if I should go back to the class. But all I wanted was to go back to my grandparents' house. I wished I hadn't accepted to come to the school, and for the first time I hated being on Krypton. I wished I had been home on Daxam.

Since I had somewhat calmed down, I started considering my surroundings. The study room was spotless. The only thing in it was the desk and chair and the monitor in front of me with some controls. I had no idea how to use it, but then I noticed how small the room was. My breath got caught in my throat as I sensed a dread rising in my chest, making me paralyzed. Just like it had happened in the spaceship, the walls seemed to be closing in on me. I felt trapped and all of a sudden, all the air was gone. I could just walk to the door and exit this place, but it was like my body didn't obey me anymore.

Suddenly a buzzing sound made me jump. The monitor on the wall turned blue and a voice streamed.

"Elin Gand, Please return to the main office."

I scrambled to my feet, my mouth completely dry, and rushed outside the room. I felt the air in my lungs again and took many deep breaths, before starting to walk down the hallway, hoping to find the main office – the room I had been to when I came in the morning and an instructor had kindly explained my schedule to me. Was I going to be scolded for not attending the history class?

I kept walking around with no luck in finding my way to the main office. No one was in sight to ask them directions and I was starting to panic in that strange, unfamiliar, and huge school. After a while I saw someone approaching. It was the same kind lady who had guided me in the morning.

"Elin Gand, are you alright?"

"Yes. Please, can you help me find the main office?" I asked with a rasped voice. My throat was so dry.

"Of course little one. That's why I'm here. We were worried when you didn't show up for history class."

She replied with a soft voice as she grabbed my hand in hers and walked me in the right direction to the main office.

"I'm sorry. I didn't feel well enough. I left my bracelet in my bag and got lost." I exclaimed weakly.

"It's alright. I called your grandmother, she's here for you."

I sighed in relief and didn't speak anymore. I was exhausted.

When we reached our destination, I saw my grandmother waiting there in a majestic blue gown. It reminded me so much of mother's dress. I felt a lump in my throat from thinking about mother. I wished she had been there.

"Little one, are you alright?" Grandmother asked after seeing me. I must have looked as bad as I felt.

"Yes, grandma." I said quietly, fearing the tremble in my voice become evident if I spoke louder.

"Here dear, I collected your belongings from class. See if there's anything missing." The kind lady handed me my bag which I received with a bowed head, ashamed for skipping the class.

"Thank you. They're all here." I informed her after briefly looking at the content of my bag.

"I hope you enjoyed your day here Elin, all of the teachers were quite pleased with your progress and awareness in the classes."

I only managed to nod, thinking maybe she was just lying to make me feel better.

"Thank you, I think Elin is a bit tired." Grandmother gently patted my shoulder.

"Of course."

We bade her goodbye and left. On the ride back none of us said anything. I went to my room and changed and dropped myself on bed, willing myself to forget everything about the school. I was beyond tired despite having a non-physical day. I wanted to sleep, but before dosing off, grandmother entered the room.

"Little one, are you awake?"

"Yes, grandma." I sat on the bed.

"Do you need anything?"

I shook my head. "No, thank you."

Grandmother came to sit next to me on the bed, looking at me keenly. Though her eyes were brown, they had the same soft look my mother's had.

"You know, you're as bad as your mother at lying."

"I am?"

"Yes. And a mother can always tell if her child is keeping things from her." She brought her hand up and caressed my face, her fingers stopping to point between my eyebrows, making my eyes go crossed.

"You have a crinkle right here, just like your mother has, when she's troubled and doesn't want others to know."

"What's a crinkle?" I couldn't understand the Kryptonian word and grandmother repeated the word in Daxamite for me, which was a new word to me all the same.

"So, do you need anything _Elin-nizu_?" She asked again, and this time I knew she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I'm thirsty."

"Did you have lunch at school?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Well I haven't eaten yet, would you like to join me? I bet you must be hungry again."

I shrugged but joined her anyway and surprisingly enjoyed my second lunch much better than the first one. Afterwards, grandmother suggested that I take a bath which made me not feel that tired and tense anymore. I never imagined my grandmother could read me and help me feel better as well as my mother could. It must have been a power that my mother had inherited from her.

She then came brushing my hair, after drying it, in front of the mirror.

"I miss brushing your mother's hair like this." Grandmother tilted her head, her gray long hair pouring down her shoulders. The silver glint on her hair fascinated me. Even though I could see wrinkles on her face, she was beautiful. For the first time I felt really close to her, like I could tell her anything.

"Mya always says you used to braid her hair."

Just after saying it, I realized I had mistakenly spoken in Daxamite. Me and Tyren usually always spoke Kryptonese with our grandparents. They understood Daxamite very well, but it was a good exercise for us to improve our Kryptonese.

Grandmother didn't seem she had even noticed it, she just hummed in agreement and kept brushing my hair with the same care mother did.

"Grandma, do you hate it when I speak in Daxamite?" I asked, avoiding her eyes in the mirror.

She stopped what she was doing.

"Of course not sweetheart. Why would you think so?" She said in Daxamite, even using the same endearment term my parents used for me.

I shrugged, feeling yet uneasy to tell her all the things I had heard at school or even from my fight with Tyren. Grandmother frowned a bit.

"Did someone tell you something at school?"

How she was so clever, I never knew.

"No." I wasn't lying though, they didn't tell me. I had overheard them.

"Then where is this coming from, Elin?" She pushed my shoulders softly, still talking to me fully in Daxamite, making me turn around to face her. I wished I hadn't asked that stupid question. Now she wouldn't let me go.

"Tyren said…" I stopped, completely regretting my first choice of words.

"Your quarrel with him yesterday?"

How was her stare so much alike mother's? I nodded.

"Did he tell you not to speak Daxamite on Krypton?"

"Not exactly. He said I don't talk Kryptonian that well and I would humiliated myself at school." Even now the words brought moisture to my eyes.

Grandmother frowned. "That was such a wrong thing to say. You are still young and learning. Others who consider your lack of fluency a reason to ridicule you, are failing to see that you know one more language compared to them. Tyren is wrong Elin. He was upset and lashed out at you without thinking. He was no better than you when he was your age. In fact you speak better than him when he was eight."

A weak smile found its way to my lips at hearing her encouraging words.

"He does that a lot lately."

"Does what sweetheart?"

"Lashing out at me."

"Elin, Tyren is at an age when he gets upset very easily, acts like a know-it-all and to some point it's normal for him."

"But why? I just asked him if I could come along to see those animals and he told me that I'm stupid and think I'm a princess."

"Yes, that was hardly a reason for him to tell you those awful things, but again he is going to be too edgy sometimes. Maybe he wanted to spend today alone with his uncle Kal and found your presence a sort of obstacle to his wish and pushed you away. I'm sure he didn't mean those words and regrets saying them to you already."

"He never apologizes!"

"Not many are good at doing that."

I sighed. "I miss playing with him."

"You two will find another hobby to do together soon. Don't worry sweetheart. You just have to be patient with him. He'll come around."

She squeezed my shoulders lightly and I nodded. "Time and space." I was starting to dislike the term.

"Exactly." Grandmother smiled at me earnestly. I turned around so she could braid my hair.

When she finished with my hair, she looked at me in silence for a few more seconds with a quirked eyebrow.

"I still see the crinkle."

I looked down.

"Of course, I understand if you feel more comfortable talking to your parents, sweetheart. I will never force you."

"I.. I don't even know if I want to talk about today with anyone." I muttered under my breath as if talking to myself.

" _Elin-nizu_ , if anyone has harmed you in any way, today at school, we need to know. It's not right to keep that to yourself."

"They didn't harm me! They…They…" I stammered, suddenly hearing all the voices echoing in my mind again.

Grandmother took my now trembling hands in her own, squeezing in reassurance.

"You can tell me or wait until your parents are back. I only want you to tell someone."

"NO! They can't know!" I unexpectedly blurted out in with a pitched voice.

"Why not?" Now she seemed worried.

"Because… Because I don't want to ask them." Tears rolled down my cheeks without my consent.

"What did they tell you at school _Elin-nizu_?"

"They didn't tell me anything! I heard them saying things and I know I shouldn't have listened to them and it's bad to do that –"I whimpered.

"Shhh… it's alright child." She cuddled me, comforting me.

And I told her what I'd heard, because I badly needed to tell someone. To get this sickening feeling of doubt, off my chest. Ever since hearing those deceitful words, their heavy weight was gnawing me from inside.

"Please grandma, please tell me the truth! Does _mya_ really love _atar_?"

Grandmother sat me on her lap and brushed my tears away gently, looking into my eyes with a tender expression.

" _Elin-nizu_ , Listen to me. There was an arranged marriage, for some reason you don't need to know right now, but I swear to Rao that your mother loves your father more than anyone else in this world. Their love is unmeasurable like the number of stars in the cosmos. They married each other with love, not just because of their duties, and your father is one of the best and kindest men I've ever known my entire life and he would never ever do or say anything to hurt your mother. Never doubt that. They met each other before the wedding and they fell in love with each other just like Star-Crossed lovers."

I clung to her words desperately, feeling warmth blooming in my heart at hearing those words. Fresh tears blurred my vision. "They really love each other that much!?"

"They love each other madly!" She exclaimed in a funny exasperated tone.

I chuckled at that. "More than they love me?"

"No little one, their love for you and Tyren is equally infinite. They love you just as much they love each other."

"I love them so much too. I know I'm angry with Tyren, but I love him too." I confessed, feeling my heart finally lighten from the turmoil it had been under since yesterday. I snuggled into grandmother's shoulder, letting calmness wash over me and savored in her warmth. She had a similar scent to mother – the same perfume. It was as if I was back home and safe.

"Elin, those children had no idea what they were talking about. Unfortunately a lot of people on Krypton do not realize how much Daxam has changed and still believe in the incomplete and prejudiced image they have had of your home planet and they convey their askew views to their children, and sadly you saw its result today.

Your parents freed the slaves and made Daxam a better place for you, Tyren and everyone else. They're still helping to keep things better. So, believe in the things you see yourself, the love you receive from your family and the love you have for them. It will never lie to you. It will give you strength to repel the effects of these unfair words you will undoubtedly hear again in future."

I listened to her every word, absorbing them, carving them into my consciousness, and knew I would never again, so easily, trust the random, cruel things others would say. I shouldn't have even doubted my parents in the first place.

I stayed in grandmother's embrace for a few more minutes.

* * *

It was almost nightfall and me and grandmother were still the only ones in the house. Grandfather had been gone to city of Candor with my parents and Tyren wouldn't be back for another few hours. I had never spent so much time alone with my grandmother, and unlike my assumptions, she wasn't that intimidating as I used to believe. She left me to play with my toys in the room and I tried to keep busy.

When I yawned a few times after an early supper, grandmother ushered me to go to bed. I wanted to stay awake to see others arrive, but the fatigue won me over and I gladly let grandmother tuck me in.

"Oh, you're reading Star-Crossed. It's your mother's." She recognized the book on the night stand and smiled fondly.

"Yes, but it's hard. I don't understand many of the words."

"It's a relatively old book. Old books all have sophisticated words. I'm surprised you have progressed this far."

I smiled at her complement, feeling even proud a bit.

"Would you like me to read it for you?" She surprised me with her offer.

"Yes!" I accepted without hesitation.

And she read to me with her steady calm voice, only for a few minutes, for I fell asleep pretty quickly.

* * *

I was back in that room, trapped and terrified. The door snapped opened and the big man stepped towards me, his face blood stained. He reached his hands forwards to grab me as I heard someone shouting. "I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER –"

I jolted awake, shaking, disoriented and my ears ringing. I looked around me in the now darkened room to find out who had shouted. It took me a full minute to finally realize where I was and that I had only dreamed of someone shouting. I shoved away my blanket, got out of bed and noticed someone snoring. It was Tyren. He was sprawled on his stomach in his bed with a blanket tangled between his limbs, his head was not even on his pillow and fast asleep. I hadn't even woken up when he'd came back. I didn't want to waken him now either. I needed to find mother or father. I wondered if they were back now and ran out of the room as quietly as I could.

Almost all the lights were out and no one was around. I hadn't checked the clock, but obviously it had to be past midnight. Getting myself close to the room I knew my parents slept in, I let out a relieved breath at seeing their light still on.

As I reached their door, I heard them talking. Their voices were really low, but in the complete silence of the surroundings I could hear them clearly.

"…didn't take it as well as we were hoping for." I heard father say with a tired voice. They must have just gotten back from Candor.

"No, but at least they promised they will discuss it again." Mother responded with a hoarse voice.

Then there was a moment of silence and I thought I shouldn't just stand there listening to them. It wasn't right. But then I remembered my trepidations. The nightmare was not on my mind anymore. Instead, I wanted to see how my parents were together when neither me nor Tyren were around. I wanted to see, with my own eyes, how much my parents really loved each other to prove to myself once and for all, how wrong those kids had been. So I sneaked into their room.

The door was situated on a higher ground, with a four short steps leading down into the suite. The first thing you would notice by entering the room, was the tall wide windows showing a magnificent view of Argo city, similar to the view of the room me and Tyren shared.

I saw my parents sat in the middle of a couch, located in a short distance to the left side of the stairs, facing the window. From that short height, I saw them snuggling into each other's side, with father's arm curled tightly around mother's shoulders and mother had her head leaned on father's shoulder. They couldn't see me unless they turned their heads up and right. I slowly descended the stairs, trying not to attract any attention and heard father speaking again.

"What else can we do? The surface levels of the mines are depleted. We need to dig deeper and need enhanced machinery. Not to mention no slave works down there anymore. Everyone should be paid fairly."

"Exactly. The expenses are increasing exponentially with the lack of ores in surface layers. The engineers said they need to remap and scan the underground area again. We can't just excavate blindly. If we want to stop the costs from rising even more, we need to listen to them. They know something."

"I just wished the council could find these more convincing."

"Me too. Even my offer to lend us some Kryptonian technology as a share of the payment, didn't appease to them!"

"Well, they don't want to admit how smart you are _miar_." I saw father tilted his head to put a kiss on mother's face and mother hummed gleefully in response.

I successfully reached the bottom of steps without letting them see me and walked with in a slouch to get closer to them. They didn't say anything or move for a long while, still kissing apparently. After waiting a bit more, I thought maybe they had fallen asleep and got myself closer to see more accurately. Mother suddenly spoke up, startling me.

"I'm worried for Elin."

"Me too." Father let out a long breath.

"I should've been here for her today."

"How could we've known the children here would say things like that?"

"I should have known better, with what happened with Tyren –"

"Tyren is thirteen, he's more sensitive now and reacts on spot. The other boys are in his age too and hot-headed, so it happens. But children at Elin's age shouldn't be even talking such nonsense. We underestimated them."

"Did you used to get into fights at his age? I thought the Prince was tutored in privet."

"I was, but there were still enough stupid royalty boys around who dared to piss me off and I would give them a piece of my mind when I lost it. Especially on days when I had a conversation with my parents…"

" _Zohr_ …"

I saw from my hiding place, crouched behind the right arm of the couch, seeing mostly father's backside, mother raised a hand to stroke father's jaw line softly, before putting a tender kiss on his lips.

When she pulled away, she nodded. "I suppose you're right. I just wish he could keep his calm more around Elin. She doesn't understand and now they don't talk to us and it worries me."

"She talked to your mother, that's something."

"Yeah, that's something, but I'll talk to her myself tomorrow. Wish we'd come sooner to at least tuck her in."

"I have to talk to Tyren too. We should solve this conflict between them. I don't like them fighting."

"Me neither. But I'm not sure how we should do this. None of us had a sibling."

"Siblings are always bound to argue. It's normal for them, but they shouldn't stay like this."

"Kal said he talked with Tyren today."

"Oh, how thoughtful of him."

Mother yawned widely as she nodded.

"We should go to bed." Father remarked as he shifted a bit, pecked mother on her forehead.

"I was planning on reading some book." Mother exclaimed with a note of disappointed in her voice.

"This late?!"

"Well, we've been so busy lately and I'd hopped at least here I could find some time to read."

"I can read to you."

Mother's blue eyes sparkled with such passion as she looked into father's, that it made my heart rate spike. "Yeah?" She murmured.

Father ran his fingers through mother's golden locks lovingly. "Yeah." His voice a few octaves deeper than it was before.

Without warning, mother brought her head up swiftly and crashed her lips firmly on father's, her eyes screwed shut and her hands winded around his neck and shoulder tightly, pulling him closer to herself.

I started to think maybe I should leave them now. If they stood up to move to bed they could easily see me. I had seen enough anyway. I spun around.

"Maybe we should move this conversation to bed." I heard father snorted, a bit out of breath.

"Conversation? I thought you were reading a book to me." Mother said in a playful tone, panting as well.

I was ready to move towards the stairs which suddenly seemed too far away.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Not if you want to read to me."

"Then I was thinking I should read you The Book of Pleas..."

"Don't speak of it!" Mother laughed loudly and father joined her immediately.

I started to crawl away slowly. They seemed distracted, so my chances were high to get away unnoticed.

"Elin!?" Mother gasped and I panicked.

 _Grife_! I was sure my cheeks were as red as Rao.


	7. Recalling-Chapter 4: Hide & Seek

**Recalling**

 **Chapter 4: Hide & Seek**

Scrambling hurriedly to my feet, I decided to run away, instead of turning around and face my parents. But before I could even take one step, father's strong hands wounded around my waist and I squealed as he rapidly pulled me backwards to the couch and onto his lap.

Squirming under his grip, I scrunched my eyes shut and covered my face with my hands in hopes of saving myself from being chided. Unlike what I expected though, I heard them laughing again and then I found myself flopped on both of them. My head on mother's lap and rest of me on father's thighs and the couch. Father's arm was firm around my waist, preventing me from falling.

" _Elin-nizu_ , WHAT are you doing here?!" Mother pried my hands away from my face.

I opened one of my eyes first to see her and father looking down at me with amused and surprised smiles and tiredness printed on their features.

"S…Sorry… I…" I stammered, not knowing what I could even say.

"How long were you there, listening?" Mother squinted at me with a raised brow. I chewed on my bottom lip and looked at father. He was still smirking.

"Not long. Just heard you wanted to read a book." Even I myself felt the crinkle forming between my brows.

Father broke into a fit of laughter and leaned forward to gingerly nibble on my cheek. "You little mouse!"

I giggled as his fingers tickled my sides and put my arms around his neck, keeping him close.

"I missed you _atar_." I kissed him.

"I missed you too sweetheart." He kissed his favorite place, the spot under my ear, taking in a deep breath, like he was inhaling my aroma.

"I missed you too _mya_." I tilted my head to look up at her, still embarrassed.

Father drew back his head, letting mother lean down as well to give me a never ending kiss on the corner of my lips, her long hair falling on both sides of my head like curtains, separating me from the outside world, and engulfing me with her scent for a moment. "And I missed you, my sweet Elin." She whispered.

She softly caressed my hair and put her elbow under my head like a pillow. I took some of her hair in my hand and laced my fingers through her tresses. An old habit. Her hair was a bit damp, like she had showered earlier.

"Hi." I whispered to them.

"Hi" they both said back delightfully at the same time.

"Why are you awake sweetheart?" Mother asked a few seconds later.

"I woke up and wanted to know if you were back."

It was such an awkward angle with them looking down at me, but now that I could see they weren't angry with me for sneaking into their room and listening to them without permission, I felt relaxed and happy to be this close to them.

"Did you have a nightmare again?" Father asked as he raised one of my hands to kiss my knuckles, like I was a princess.

"I did, but it wasn't that bad. I just wanted to see you."

They both just smiled at me quietly, and I knew I better go back to my bed and let them go to sleep as well. But I had to ask them something first.

"Can I ask you something?" I looked at each of them in turn to let them know the question was for both of them.

"Of course sweetheart." Mother replied as father nodded in agreement, still holding my hand.

"How much do you love each other?" I asked, playing with mother's hair.

They looked at me puzzled for a few seconds, and then they turned their heads to look into one another's eyes as if to find the answer there.

"With all my being." There was no mistake in the immense devotion behind mother's words. Hushed, but powerful like an enchantment.

"With everything that I have." Father claimed in an equally enrapturing tone.

They kept looking hypnotically at each other for a long while, like they had completely forgotten about me and I felt a wide warm smile creeping up my whole face. I'd found my answer. Grandmother was absolutely right. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, mother and father were madly in love.

I stirred to get off the couch and father helped to steady me. It was time to leave them. As I stood up from the couch, I felt mother's hand gripping mine.

"Do you want to sleep here with us tonight _Elin-nizu_?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm okay _mya_." After finding the answer I was searching for, nothing could bother me at that moment. Not even that nasty nightmare.

"Then I come to tuck you in."

I flashed her a grin and nodded gratefully.

"Goodnight _atar_."

"Sweet dreams my beautiful _meril_." Father kissed me on the forehead.

* * *

The next morning everyone slept in and we had brunch instead of breakfast. We were about to finish our meal when Tyren finally showed up with a messy hair and groggy eyes, in unmatching pajamas, his buttons wrongly done and yawning. I was the first one to notice his approach.

I snorted at his goofy appearance and put a hand on my mouth to stifle a chuckle. When others noticed why I was pushing my hand so hard on my mouth, they started to laugh as well and only then I let myself laugh out loud.

"What?" Tyren looked at us completely baffled.

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror dear?" Mother told him, still smiling.

Tyren looked at himself, touching his face and hair and went wide eyed. With red cheeks, he ran back to the room and I laughed at him even more.

A few hours later, I was trying to read Star-Crossed in Grandfather's study room when I saw mother entering. They had no meetings until tomorrow.

" _Elin-nizu_ , can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course _leiu_." I answered back in Kryptonese, putting away the book on a table next to me.

She came to sit on the sofa in front of me. "We can talk in Daxamite."

I nodded, already guessing what this was about.

"So how was the school yesterday?"

I looked away instantly. I wasn't ready to talk about it with her. Mother leaned forward and grabbed both my hands. "Grandma told me some students have said cruel things to you."

She already knew, then why would she want to ask me again? "They didn't tell me _mya_. I hid behind a pillar and listened to them. I'm sorry. I know I keep doing that. Like last night and that time when Tyren was talking to father, but I couldn't just walk away."

She brushed softly on the back of my hands with her thumbs as I talked.

"It's ok sweetheart. I just need to know how you're doing. You can tell me anything. I wouldn't judge. I just want to help you. I'm sorry I wasn't here for you yesterday."

"It's ok _mya_. Grandma was here. I liked talking to her. She told me that Tyren wanted to be alone with uncle Kal so he pushed me away like that and she told me that people talk and I shouldn't believe whatever they say."

Mother smiled at me kindly.

"Would you tell me what you told her?"

I thought about it. She looked so concerned, her eyes almost begging me to share with her all that had happened to me yesterday. And so I told her everything. This time though, it was much easier because I knew how wrong they were.

At some point mother came to sit next to me and winded her arms around me in show of support. When I finished my story, she kept me close, rubbing my back, even though I didn't feel half upset as I did the day before.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you _Elin-nizu_. Those kids had no right to talk like that behind your back."

"Why would they be so mean? Am I different from them? Is that why they said those bad things about you and father?"

"They didn't really understand what they were saying, only repeating what they had heard here and there. You come from another planet and they wanted to talk, pretending to others that they know everything. No sweetheart, you're not the different you think you are. It's just that Krypton and Daxam haven't been friendly towards each other for hundreds of years and they assume things about one another that are biased and wrong. Even I misjudged your father the first time I met him.

But Elin, in another meaning you ARE different from those kids. You are better, wiser and more sympathetic than them. You wouldn't say such things if you were in their place, because I know my daughter. And sometimes, being different alarms some people, make them react badly, as if our differences scares them."

"Why would they be scared of me? I didn't do anything to them!"

"Of course you didn't sweetheart. It's just how some people feel. It's not your fault."

I didn't say anything for a while, contemplating my mother's words. How very complicated. Why would anyone feel threatened by me?

"But they were right about my Kryptonian not being good. Even Tyren told me. I wish I could speak as well as Tyren does."

"Oh, Elin you'll be even better than him sooner than you think! You're still learning. You're pushing yourself too hard needlessly." She held me tighter and kissed my crown and then leaned the side of her face to my head, whispering to me. "Don't ever say that. Don't let their words dishearten you. You're much better than you think you are. My bright beautiful inah. Let them say whatever they want, but NEVER EVER let them make you doubt in yourself."

Her word touched me in ways that I had never experienced, going deeper than even grandmother's words, untying all the knots and I felt so strong and gratified.

"I love you _mya_."

"I love you too, my _Elin-nizu_."

We held each other close like that for a long minute until I finally decided to ask her about her marriage.

" _Mya_ , did you really marry father because your parents forced you to it?"

She softly pushed me out of her embrace and looked me in the eyes.

"There was an arrangement for our marriage long before even I became aware of it, but me and your father met months before the wedding and got to know each other, and neither of us even knew what our parents had intended for us and I fell in love with your father because of who he is, and I'm pretty sure he would tell you the same if you ask him. In fact he would say, he fell in love with me first!"

I giggled, but then another question popped in my mind.

"Will I have to marry someone you choose for me too?"

"No, sweetheart. NEVER. We would never do this to you." She shook her head firmly.

"Would you have married father if you didn't love him?"

She looked through the window to her right for a moment, thinking, before turning her eyes back at me with a sharp look. She took in my hands in hers again, squeezing lightly.

"As hard as it was to think how my life would change despite all my other wishes and plans which I had hoped to achieve here on Krypton, I would have done the same, because the reason behind my marriage was to save Krypton and I would do anything to save my people. There was no doubt in that for me and Rao was kind to me and put me in the path of your father."

I smiled at her adoringly, never imagining I could be even prouder of my mother.

"Then why others don't see what you did for Krypton?"

"Almost no one is aware of the true reason behind our marriage."

"But if you tell them, they wouldn't say those bad thing. We should tell them!"

"No, sweetheart. It is a sensitive matter and we can't share it with others. Not yet."

"Why?"

"Sometimes we need to keep the truth hidden to protect the ones we love."

My shoulders slumped a bit. I wished I could barge in the school and tell everyone how wrong they had been and make them see what a hero my mother had been all along.

"Will you tell me?" I looked at her.

"Someday sweetheart. Not today, but I promise I'll tell you when the right time comes." She reached a hand to tuck a stray strand of my hair, behind my ear.

"Okay. I'll be waiting for that day." I nodded appreciatively at her.

We stayed quiet for a few seconds, just smiling at each other.

"So, is that why you were in our room last night and asked us that question? To see if we really love each other?" Mother asked me unexpectedly and I felt my cheeks burning.

"Grandma said I should believe in what I see with my own eyes, instead of what others say." I mumbled, looking at our joined hands.

She laughed and pecked me on the forehead kindly. "Sweetheart, you didn't have to do such things to find the answer. You can always ask me or your father anything you wish to know. We would never lie to you."

"Grandma said I'm bad at lying like you are."

"What else did she tell you?" Mother looked rather mortified.

"She said I have crinkle just like you when I try to keep things from others."

* * *

In the afternoon we went to visit a historical monument in Argo city which had been renovated recently. An old building surrounded by beautiful fountains and gardens.

The moment we entered its gigantic gates to step inside the building, I strode faster inside, my imagination sparking with numerous fantasies and scenes from Star-Crossed. This place reminded me a bit of The Royal Gardens which we had visited a few times back on Daxam. The gardens had been exclusively for the royal families, until my parents disbanded the monarchy and afterwards the palace and gardens had been open to public and had become a tourist destination. I joyfully recalled playing hide and seek with Tyren the last time we went to The Royal Gardens. I turned around and watched my parents and grandparents walking slower and Tyren walking a bit faster between me and them. They all seemed to be captivated by the place as well.

I quickened my pace, too impatient to wait for them to catch up to me.

"Elin, don't go too far sweetheart." I heard father warning me, his voice echoing eerily on the walls.

I stopped, choosing to examine the old worn mosaics under my feet, following the lines and cracks with my steps and gauging them until they came.

In front of us was a huge ballroom, the walls were painted masterfully with brilliant colors, showing people and animals I didn't recognize, probably depicting Krypton's history. And the ceiling was so high that I almost fell down backwards as I tried to see the zenith.

"Hey, watch it!" Tyren complained as I accidently collided with him and stumped on his shoe while walking backwards.

"Sorry." I twisted around and distanced myself from him, half expecting him to say something bitter to me again, but he didn't seem that repulsive. When he didn't say anything I turned around to walk to where our parents and grandparents were standing, watching the paintings and discussing them among themselves.

"I'm sorry." Tyren's quiet voice made me stop on my track and turn around to see if I'd heard him right.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for… For saying those things to you. For pushing you. I was a jerk."

I watched him with a dropped jaw.

" _Grife_! I shouldn't have used that word in front of you. Sorry." Tyren added, completely flustered.

"Tyren…" I began only to be cut off by him.

"I'm sorry I mocked your Kryptonese. You're smart, you'll be good at it in no time. I.. I can even help you. We can talk Kryptonese at home sometimes to practice. I was angry and I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. You don't act like a good girl for attention. You're kind and good inside _nessa_ and I love you."

Not being able to form any coherent answer to assure him that I had forgiven him, I ran to him and enveloped him as much as I could manage with my short height and small arms.

"I love you too _hanon_."

He was frozen for a moment, like he was shocked by my action, but then he brought his arms up and hugged me back and I felt like finally everything was right in the world again. I pulled back a bit to look up at him

"I forgive you Tyren, and I'm sorry I called you a bully. You didn't deserve that, you were only defending yourself."

Tyren looked at me in disbelief for a moment, before his eyes softened and the corners of his mouth pulled up to form a huge grin on his face.

"Don't worry about it _nessa_ , I forgive you too."

When we looked around at last, we saw our parents watching us from the other side of the ballroom. They were standing close to each other – mother had an arm looped around father's bicep, leaning onto him – and both were beaming brightly at us. Then they started walking into another huge corridor and called for us to follow. We walked after them hand in hand.

At the end of that corridor, we entered the gardens and after finishing a tour around the gardens, we were resting a bit near the biggest, most ornate fountain which was surrounded by a circle of smaller fountains in a 20 yard diameter.

I was bored.

"Tyren! Remember that time we played hide and seek in The Royal Gardens!?" I tugged on his sleeve.

"Yeah." He smirked. "Remember that time I was Valor and climbed the tree?"

"The one you fell from it and almost broke your hand?"

"I didn't fall, the branch gave away."

I chortled at his cocky expression. Typical Tyren, always changing the story for his own benefit.

"Can we play hide and seek now!?" I was jumping on the balls of my feet.

"I don't know if we can." Tyren shrugged, looking in mother's direction. "Mya can we play hide and seek?"

Mother looked hesitant and skeptical.

"PLEASE mya?!" I used most pleading look and voice on her.

"Okay, but stay close to the fountains." She finally caved in and I jumped in excitement. "YES!"

I ran to grab Tyren's hand to drag him away with me.

"Tyren?" Mother called.

"I know mya. We'll be just near the fountains." Tyren answered as we went.

We strolled farther from the fountain to find the best place for the base. We chose a small white statue and then, before Tyren even had a chance to speak I started.

"eenie, meenie, minnie, moe…" pointing myself and him with each term and stopping on him. "Your IT!" I shouted triumphantly.

"HEY! You didn't even say the chant fully!" Tyren protested, but I showed him the tip of my tongue and sprinted away to start my search of a good hiding place.

"Count to 100!" I ordered him.

"20!" Tyren bargained.

"90!"

"40! And NO more!"

"Fine! Just count slowly! And DON'T cheat!"

"I don't CHEAT! And you stay close Elin. I'm serious. Don't go beyond the fountains. This place is huge."

"Okay."

I left him alone and heard as the sound of his counting grew fainter by my each fast steps. I found a hiding place behind a well-trimmed bush and waited for him.

He found me easily, and then I played IT for two rounds because he beat me to the base and the third time Tyren offered to be IT again and I happily agreed.

This time on my path to find a better hiding place, I noticed a small cabin with open door. I looked around it and found some vases as tall as me next to its wall and decided to stand between two of them. I waited for Tyren nervously. After what seemed far less than 40, I heard his footsteps.

"I know you're around here!"

I shuddered with agitation, anticipation tickling my tummy like a swarm of ants.

"Muhahaha! I can smell you!" He had roughened his voice, pretending to be that Garata dragon again. Another game we hadn't played for a long time. Though it scared the hell out of me, it brought a smile to my face.

"Where are you little Elin? I'm so hungry!"

"How DARE you, you ugly beast!? I will smite thee with my mighty sword!" Suddenly Tyren had changed into his Valor voice. I bit the inside of my cheek and pressed my hands hard on my mouth so he wouldn't hear me laughing. His footsteps were dangerously coming closer. I started moving out of my hiding place, slowly walking in the opposite direction around the cabin, careful not to make any noises with my feet on the gravel. I heard Tyren continuing his game.

"Valor! Ugh, you meddling hero! Go find another to torment! Leave me with my dinner!"

"I shall burn in seven hells before I let you devour my Elin!"

I reached the door to the hut and Tyren was only a few steps behind. I couldn't run farther, he would see me. My only option was inside the cabin.

I hurried inside and shut the door soundlessly, listening for him.

"See what you did Valor? My dinner is gone!"

"Oh, sweet Elin! Where are thou?"

Tyren's voice grew lower and I congratulated myself for being so resourceful. I would wait a bit longer for Tyren to get to a safe distance and then run out to the base. I decided to open the door a little to see if he was really gone, but couldn't find a handle. Pushing the door and even pulling it didn't work. It was stuck. I started to fiddle with the door more, even kicking it. Then I thought there should be a window in the cabin and turned around to look for one. How had I not noticed how dark it was inside? There were no windows.

This place was small. Too small and I felt that damn horrifying feeling coming back. My breath hitched in my throat. I wanted to shout, call for Tyren at the top of my lungs, but I couldn't, like my body was detached from my mind and I couldn't feel if I was standing or sitting anymore. Everything was too dark.


	8. Recalling-Chapter 5: Closure

**Recalling**

 **Chapter 5: Closure**

I was back in that dimly lightened narrow room, crouching on a thin fabric that apparently was supposed to be a bed. The constant loud noises frightened me and I was covering my ears while crying. The door snapped open and an enormous dark figure came to me. The gash on his face was bleeding profusely, making me whimper. I tried to get away from him, but his strong grip locked around my small arm and dragged me up. He was pulling me harshly towards the door when another silhouette appeared in the doorway and rushed inside. I saw the gun in his hands first and then when he came closer I recognized him. He was my father.

" _Atar_!" I cried frantically, feeling a bit less afraid.

"I'm right here sweetheart. I'm gonna get you out." Father's voice made me stop crying.

The hand on my arm went around my shoulder and pressed my back to his front. I felt something cold against my neck, but couldn't see what it was.

"Put the gun down Mon-El, or you'll never gonna get back your precious little princess in one piece!" The harsh cold words made me shiver harder.

" _Atar_!" I called him again, wailing. The tears obscured my vision.

"SHUT UP!" He shook me violently and silenced me.

"I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER –"

"I SAID PUT THE FUCKING GUN DOWN!"

"OKAY!"

From behind the veil of tears, I saw father throwing his gun down and raising his hands to show them empty.

"Let her go Jaol! We've taken over this whole place. All your men are arrested. You can't run anymore!"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! YOU THINK I'M GONNA LET HER GO THAT EASY?"

The cold metal against my neck pressed a little harder and I felt like I couldn't breathe properly anymore. I saw father's eyes grow wide with horror and concern. He took a step forward.

"IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER I'LL CUT –"

A whizzing sound echoed in the room and the man who was holding me shouted in agony, followed by a loud clang. The cold hands let me go and I fell forward. My feet felt too week and shaky, so I couldn't get on my feet quickly to run away and only managed to crawl a bit.

"DON'T KILL HIM!" I heard father ordering someone.

I rolled to see what was happening and saw the bulky man still shouting in pain and anger, holding his hand, bleeding. I saw another person standing outside the door with a helmet on his head, holding a big rifle, aiming it at that man. He was the one who had shot him.

"It's over Jaol! Stand down!" Father told him, coming closer to me.

Then everything happened too fast. The man my father had called Jaol, reached for something on the ground with a monstrous groan and was coming to me again with a look of madness on his face and his eyes bulged out. I was completely frozen, fear rooting me to the ground, unable to even breathe. But suddenly father jumped in front of me. They clashed and I heard father gasp and stumbled sideways. Then I heard the same whizzing sound again and Joal hit the ground hard and didn't move this time. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"Elin? Are you okay Sweetheart?" Father was crouching over me, pulling me up into a sitting position with terrified eyes. The room instantly filled with a flock of soldiers who blocked my view to the motionless body of Jaol. Father's hands turned my head away from them and made me look into his eyes again.

"Elin? Are you hurt?" He asked again. His eyes shimmering in the dim light, like they were wet.

I shook my head, not feeling strong enough to talk. His teary eyes and slightly trembling hands were searching my arms and legs to spot any injury despite my silent denial. His fingers lingered on my right knee. I saw the scratch there for the first time. Father sighed painfully, like he was sorry for even that small wound.

Then I saw the wide cut on his forehead bleeding constantly, a tiny stream of his blood trickling down the side of his face. Jaol had hurt him. I reached my hand to touch it. Tears welling in my eyes again.

"Atar you're hurt." I whispered between my sobs.

Father instantly pulled me into his chest and pressed my head to his shoulder. I closed my eyes and finally felt safe and relaxed from being back in his arms. He kissed my head many times.

"I'm fine Sweetheart. This is nothing. You're safe and that's all that matters. Let's go to mya and Tyren. They've missed you so much. I missed you so much." He murmured softly into my ear and held me tighter as he stood up and took me out of that dark hole.

All I wanted that moment was to forget all this. To never ever remember feeling this fear.

The image faded and I opened my eyes to see Tyren's face, bending over me in the small cabin. It wasn't that dark anymore.

"Elin? _Nessa_? Are you ok? Why don't you answer?!" Tyren was shaking my shoulders, his blue orbs wide with worrisome.

"I'm here." I responded in a hushed voice.

"What happened?" Tyren helped me stand up.

"I… I'm not sure."

I saw the door was open and felt like I couldn't stand in this room any second longer and ran outside.

"Elin wait!" Tyren shouted after me, but I didn't stop.

I ran with only one thing on my mind. Father. I needed to see him. Because this had to be all just a nightmare.

I found father talking with my grandfather by the big fountain. I ran at him, panting. I had to see his face. I was in a strange trance like everything around me was far and blurry except for father. I thought I could hear Tyren shouting after me to stop, following me.

Father turned around after hearing Tyren and saw me running towards himself. He was perplexed, but opened his arms to catch me.

"Elin? What's wrong sweetheart?"

He knelt down, gripping my shoulders. I couldn't answer yet. I didn't know what was exactly wrong myself.

"Tyren what happened?" Father asked him since I wasn't speaking.

"I don't know father. We were playing and she got locked in a cabin. She was sitting in a corner and staring blankly when I found her and then she ran outside, barely telling me anything." Tyren explained breathlessly in a panicked tone.

"Elin talk to me sweetheart. Elin? What is it? Are you hurt?" Father put his hands firmly on both sides of my head to pull my attention to himself, but I was still searching his forehead. Raising my hands, I quickly brushed away the hair on his forehead.

And I found it. It was only a fading scar now – About two inches. Seeing it, was the final proof I needed to finally realize that all that I had seen was not a dream or a result of my imagination. It was a memory. Memory of something terrible that had happened to me and I had chosen to forget it. Somehow my mind had listened to me and had wiped it away, though not completely. Being locked in that cabin had triggered it, making the most horrible parts to come back.

I burst into tears without even realizing, then cry turned into sob as I remembered father's injured face and he pulled me into his chest, still clueless as to why I was reacting so.

"Shhh… It's okay Elin. You're safe. I'm here." His words only reminded me more of that memory, still present behind my eyelids vividly. It was as if I still could hear the sounds, smell the stink on Jaol's hand and see my father's frightful expression, like it was happening right there and then again.

I lost track of time. I didn't know how long I cried into his shoulder, clinging to him and refusing to let go when someone tried to pull me away.

"Mon-El? What happened?"

"We don't know."

"No, let her be Kara. Let her calm down."

" _Elin-nizu_ , what's wrong baby?

" _Nessa_ what happened? Did you see something?"

"Did something scare you?"

"I think she's scared because of getting locked inside that cabin."

"Maybe we should take her to a med bay."

"No, let's just give her time first."

I discreetly listened to the voices talking, only understanding half of what was being said and slowly the fear withdrew giving its place to tiredness. I stopped crying and stayed in father's arms unmoving for minutes with my eyes closed.

"Elin?" Father kissed my hair while caressing my head.

Opening my eyes tentatively, I saw mother staring at me and then Tyren came into my field of vision with the same look on his face, their identical eyes shone with concern. I had frightened them. I also noticed that we weren't in the gardens anymore. We were back inside the building, in another big room with elaborate paintings which we had visited during our tour. Father was sitting on a bench, holding me and mother was sitting beside him.

Pulling slowly away from father I raised my head to look at him again. There was no blood on his face. I eventually felt completely calm again.

"I remember." I whispered.

"Remember what sweetheart?" Mother asked with a shaken voice. I looked at Tyren. He knew what I was talking about. He's eyes were narrowed under the realization, and I suspect, the flood of memories he must have recalled.

"I remember that room. I remember a man father called Jaol."

I felt father stiffen and mother's eyes turned sad. I turned to look at father and brought my hand up again to touch the scar.

"I remember you were hurt."

"I'm fine sweetheart. We won't let anything happen to you ever again." Father tightened his hold on me in reassurance.

I never doubted his words. "I know you won't."

I put my arms around his neck nuzzled into his neck.

" _Elin-nizu_? Are you feeling better? " I felt mother's hand touching mine. I was sorry for scaring her.

"I'm okay now." I nodded and pulled out of father's embrace. I needed to show them I was okay. Father reluctantly let me go and mother was there to pull me in her arms.

"I never wanted you to remember sweetheart. It was better that you didn't. You forgot about it shortly after it happened and only mentioned the nightmares. We decided to tell you that they were only nightmares, that the truth would hurt you, but now…" Mother tried to explain as if she felt guilty for what had happened.

"It wasn't your fault _mya_. I know why you didn't tell me." I tried to alleviate her worries.

Tyren stepped closer, fidgeting with his hands. I saw a flash of guilt on his face. Why did they feel so guilty for me remembering?

" _Nessa_ I can't imagine how you must be feeling. I should've found you sooner."

"I'm fine Tyren. It wasn't your fault. I just felt so overwhelmed, remembering it all of a sudden, but I'm okay now. In fact -"

I pushed out of mother's arms and stood in front of father, his eyes still filled with worry for me. "I'm not afraid anymore. Now I can always remember how my father saved me from the monsters just like Valor! Now I know the nightmare will always end with me being saved. It won't be a nightmare anymore!" A wide smile pulled the corner of my lips upwards and I saw father beaming back at me.

"I'll come for you every time." He exclaimed.

I turned around and walked towards Tyren.

"And my brother is the best _hanon_ in the world, because he will defend my honor and smack the offenders down!"

"YOU KNOW?" Tyren gasped.

"Sorry I overheard…" I inwardly kicked myself for slipping the fact that I had listened to his privet conversation with father.

At last I turned to face mother. She held my hands in hers.

"And I'm so proud of having a mother who's sacrificed her life to save Krypton, even though no one knows. You did something no other girl would do. You're Supergirl! And you're my hero."

Mother gazed at me intently for a long minute with what seemed like appreciation shining in her eyes, before cradling my face in her soft hands and put her lips on my forehead in a never ending kiss.

"And I couldn't ask Rao for a braver and more understanding daughter than you, my Elin. YOU are my Supergirl." She whispered and leaned her forehead to mine, rubbing her nose back and forth to mine.

When we finally pulled away from one another other, I saw my grandparents approaching from a far and only then remembered they had been with us in the gardens. As they reached us I saw grandmother holding a cup in her hand.

" _Elin-nizu_ , are you alright?"

I gave her my biggest smile. "Yes, grandma. Sorry that I scared you. I'm alright now."

"What happened?"

"I remembered the room I was trapped in and father came to save me." I flashed father a toothy grin.

"Oh, little one, that must have been terrifying." I saw her eyes growing concerned.

"It was, but I feel fine now."

"Thank Rao. We went to get something for you when you came running to your father like that."

I looked at the drink in her hand suspiciously. "Is that medicine?"

"No sweetheart, it's just some tea to calm you."

Mother guided me to sit on the bench before handing me the cup. It felt warm against my skin and I sipped at it slowly, feeling the liquid warming my insides. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I noticed grandfather was holding a tray with beverages for others. He handed everyone their drinks and in a matter of seconds, all of us were sitting, drinking in peace and quiet.

After a while – when we all finished our drinks – I felt everyone staring at me again.

"I'm REALLY fine!"

"Well I don't see a crinkle so I guess you're telling the truth." Grandfather remarked, surprising me. Was everyone aware of the crinkle thing? I saw everyone smirking.

"I ALWAYS tell the truth!" I protested.

"Yeah, tell that to the crinkle." Tyren snickered.

"I don't have a crinkle!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you –"

"Okay, Okay! Can we change the subject?" Mother interrupted our argument, her expression was something between smiling and annoyed. Like she wanted to be mad at us, but was amused at the same time.

"Shall we go home?" Father asked me, rubbing my back.

"But I want to play!"

"Aren't you tired sweetheart?"

"No." I was exhausted. There must have been something in that tea that was making me sleepy.

"Elin?" Father raised a brow. I knew he was looking at my crinkle.

"I mean yes, but I was beating Tyren to the base!"

"Fine! I accept the defeat!" Tyren raised his hand in surrender.

I smirked at him, remembering his little game with Valor and the Garata from earlier. "Princess Elin grants you the position of the high knight for standing up to that unholy monster, gallant Valor."

Tyren grinned at me smugly and faked a bow. I knew he liked it when I tried to recite some parts of the book like he did. I heard everyone chuckling.

"Okay then Princess, shall we go now?" Mother pressed a kiss to my temple.

"Indeed, Supergirl." I stayed in my character, having too much fun to let it go just yet.

* * *

We were packing again, this time to leave Krypton. It had been two days since I'd recalled what had happened to me two years ago.

"Ouch!" Tyren shouted in pain from the other side of room, nursing his left feet as he was bouncing on his right to keep his balance.

"What happened?" I asked him, getting up from my place where I was putting my clean clothes in my duffel bag, to see what had his feet slammed into.

He sat on his bed and massaged his feet, wincing, before reaching down and picking one of the action figures which I had thrown away a few days ago.

"What is this doing here!?"

"Oh… I forgot. Sorry."

He tossed me the toy which I missed by a foot. After I finished gathering all my belongings, I noticed the other action figure was not there. I couldn't remember where I'd thrown it away and wandered around the house to find it.

I was half under my parents' bed, looking for the small toy, when I heard someone walking in the room.

"Elin? What are you doing down there sweetheart?"

It was father.

"Umm… I lost one of my action figures." I crawled out and got back to my feet. I hadn't found anything down there.

Father came to put some of his clothes in a suit case which was open on their bed.

"Do you remember where you last played with it?"

I shook my head. I also didn't want to tell him that I had deliberately thrown it away in a tantrum. He scratched the scruff on his jaw.

"Did you take it outside with you anywhere?"

"No, I last saw it the day we came to Krypton. In the afternoon, when you and mya left for a meeting."

"Then it's in the house, don't worry. Keep looking, you'll find it."

He assured me before closing his suit case and locking its lids. When he raised his head, he noticed me still standing and looking at him.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" he gave me a smile.

"Umm… I wanted to ask… _Atar_ , can I go back to that school one more time?"

I saw his eyebrows shoot up, like I had surprised him.

"You want to go back there after all that you heard?"

I looked at my shoes for a moment before bringing up my head to answer him.

"Yes, I want to tell them how wrong they are about you. I want to be strong like you and _mya_. I want to stand up to them like Tyren always does in school."

I held his gaze and felt my cheeks flush with rush of emotions as I confessed to him what I had thought about doing since mother had talked to me. Father sat on the bed to be close to my height and looked at me with amazement. He raised his hands to my face and cradled my cheeks. I saw his eyes soften.

"You already ARE strong Elin. You don't need to prove that to anyone."

"But those kids –"

"Sweetheart, you going back there will have no result, except more hurtful words, and I don't want that for you." His hands moved to my shoulders, squeezing them lightly.

I felt so desperate and dropped my eyes from father's kind ones. I loved his stormy blue eyes so much, but at that moment his eyes were looking at me so lovingly, that it was so easy to give in to them, to convince myself that going back to school would hurt me again and I so much wanted to prove to him that I can be brave like Tyren. "Then how can I tell them how wrong they are?"

One of his hand pushed my chin lightly upwards to make me look back into his eyes.

"They will talk no matter what you tell them, but you can show the error in their judgment through your actions. What you do define who you are, not words. Words can be powerful too, but only with acts they can truly become effective."

I nodded at him, feeling a lot more convinced that going back there would be pointless.

"Then what should I do to show them?"

"Just one thing."

"What?" I felt my stomach flipping with excitement to know the answer.

"Be yourself."

"Be myself?" I looked at him, puzzled. "What does that supposed to mean?"

Father removed his hand from my face and pointed at my chest.

"It means to always trust your heart and do what you believe in, not what others want you to."

"How would that make others see that their wrong about me?"

"They'll see it even if they say otherwise. Don't mind them, it doesn't worth it. Words are wind"

I tilted my head, looking at him questioningly, trying to decipher his words.

"Is that a riddle?"

He pinched my nose and laughed at my look of confusion. "No sweetheart, it's a figure of speech, it means actions speak stronger than words and if people only talk, you don't even need to answer them. Just ignore them."

"Then what Tyren did was wrong?"

"Yes. Violence is never the answer, but I don't deny that some words can really hurt you and ignoring them can be sometimes impossible. Just remember that we are all always there for you and we love you no matter what."

I jumped to throw my arms around his neck and put my firmest kiss on his cheek.

"I love you too atar."

He laced his fingers through my hair and hugged me back.

"My brave, strong Elin. Never forget that all you need to be, is to be yourself, nothing more." His gave me a gentle kiss on the corner of my eye.

I took his words to the heart. I decided next time I came to Krypton, I would be speaking Kryptonese so good that no one would notice any fault in it and I would study harder to even surpass their level. I knew he told me I didn't need to prove anything, but in my mind being myself was wanting to be better at everything and improve myself.

Later that day, the second action figure was finally found under the dining table with the help of Kalex.

* * *

We were back to the hangar for the take-off.

When I sat in the same seat in the spaceship, I didn't feel as excited as the last time. This trip to Krypton had been different. I had learned many things this time, both good and bad. Things that I couldn't unlearn, but altogether I felt very pleased with this vacation. Although I would miss my grandparents and uncle Kal gravely, I felt more ready to go back to Daxam.

And since then, I haven't had a single nightmare about that room ever again.

 **End of Part 2**


	9. Lullaby

**Lullaby**

Kara held a soft little hand in hers as she walked a miniature six year old version of Mon-El in red PJ's, upstairs back to his bedroom to tuck him in bed. He was talking enthusiastically about the game he had been just playing and Kara kept smiling at his adorable excited tone. She knew it would be extra hard to convince his son to sleep while he was like this.

Just as they were about to step inside his room, a childish muffled cry made them stop. Kara worriedly glanced at another bedroom door, unsure if she should abandon the little one to attend to her other waiting baby. Just when she was about to tell her son to wait for her in bed for a minute, Mon-El got himself to them with quick steps. He had been napping tiredly on the couch downstairs and Kara hadn't wished to disturb him after a long day.

"I got Tyren. You get her."

He offered kindly as he nodded towards their daughter's bedroom who was now crying louder than before. Kara hurriedly turned to look down at the waiting boy.

"Atar* will tuck you in tonight. I'll come as soon as I can dear, ok?"

"It's ok Mya**."

Tyren replied without a hint of annoyance in his voice and Kara saw understanding in his blue eyes – eyes that were just like hers, comets as Mon-El liked to call them – and Kara put a quick kiss on his crown, fingers running through his short brown hair, before running to her daughter.

Kara found her standing in the crib, gripping the bars as she cried profusely facing the door. Her short blond hair glowed against the dim orange night lamp in her room.

"Mya…"

"Shhhh…Elin-nizu***, Mya's here."

Kara ensured before reaching to lift Elin's small body into her chest as she kept crying.

"What's wrong sweet girl?"

Kara enquired as she caressed her soft short curls and kissed her head, inhaling her too familiar delicious baby aroma, not really expecting her to answer.

"Did you wake up and saw you were alone sweetheart?"

She suggested as she bounced and swung her lightly in her arms and walked around to calm her daughter who was clinging to her whimpering. Not being successful in stopping her crying, Kara reached into the crib for Elin's favorite doll. A fluffy colorful stuffed dragon doll which used to be Tyren's.

"Oh hey look Elin-nizu! It's Oggy! "

Kara smiled to herself when that finally got her attention. Elin stopped whimpering and looked at the doll in her mother's hand. Kara moved around the doll and cooed at her.

"Don't cry Elin! It's ok. Let's play together!"

"Aggy…"

Elin finally stopped crying and spoke the doll's name in her own way as she out stretched one of her little arms to get the doll.

Kara let her hug and nuzzle into the doll as she kissed her on the temple again and moved to sit her on the table next to her crib.

"Okay sweetheart, I just want to check if you need a change."

Elin was busy playing with and biting Oggy and didn't complain as Kara checked her diaper which was still clean. She then put Elin's little lilac colored pants back on her and was about to lift her back into her arms again when she squirmed to sit up on her own, Oggy completely forgotten.

"What is it Elin-nizu?"

Kara watched in confusion as Elin crawled to her and reached for the cleavage of her night gown beneath her robes and tugged on it. Kara understood the gesture instantly.

"Elin-nizu? We talked about this. If you're hungry I get your bottle."

She had been trying to stop breast feeding Elin as she was almost one year old and had been almost successful. Elin resisted at first, getting grumpy when she would reject her and give her a bottle instead, but eventually she had become less persistent to ask her for it.

Kara gently moved Elin's small hand away and watched in almost disbelief as Elin's face scrunched into a frown and she pouted while her big beautiful blue eyes welled up. She immediately grabbed the milk bottle from its place in the heater that always kept it in the right temperature and offered it to her. Elin didn't even look at the bottle and started crying all over again.

"What's gotten into you tonight baby?"

Kara put the bottle away and pulled a very tearful Elin into her embrace and walked towards the sofa.

"Shhhh… Ok. Just this time. Ok sweetheart."

She balanced Elin on her lap with one hand and opened her robe and moved away the garment with the other, offering Elin what she wanted. Elin stopped crying instantly and latched her lips on her breast.

"Easy girl."

Kara winced a little as Elin's new baby teeth bit at her sensitive skin and scratched the top of her head gently in return, smiling at how possessively she was clinging to her with her eyes closed shut. She reached down and brushed the lingering tears away from Elin's warm cheek before taking her tiny hand which was resting on her chest and kissing it lovingly.

Kara then started singing her a lullaby. An old Kryptonian lullaby which her mother used to sing to her as well. Elin opened her comet blue eyes a bit later, no sign of dissatisfaction in them anymore. She looked into her mother's eyes with wonder, listening intently.

Right after Kara was finished with the lullaby for the second time, Elin's eyelids fluttered closed. She kept her lips on her breast, not ready to let go yet, but her body grew completely limp in her arms as sleep engulfed her.

Kara kept her eyes on her, never getting enough of the sight of her daughter.

"Kara…"

Kara heard Mon-El's whisper from the doorway.

"Mon-El…"

He came closer to them, a warm smile softening his features despite the tiredness.

"Everything ok here?"

"Yeah, she's asleep now. What about Tyren?"

"Fast asleep."

"Really?! Didn't think he would fall asleep so soon."

"I had to promise him a trip to Krypton."

They both chuckled quietly. Kara sighed happily feeling Elin's lips twitching in her sleep against herself. She gingerly guided her head away and stirred her then lowered her head to put a kiss on her forehead.

"I thought we were on the no more breast feeding policy."

Mon-El pointed out, realizing that she had finally given in to Elin. Kara pulled her robes back to its previous state with her free hand before explaining.

"I know… but she was really upset for some reason and pouted at me with those eyes and I couldn't…"

She ran out of words and watched as Mon-El knelt down before her and put a lingering kiss on Elin's head. When he raised his head, Kara saw how his eyes glossy with emotion and her breath was caught in her throat.

"Mon-El…"

He then rose to his feet and leaned forward to catch her lips with his and Kara felt how his breath was shaking through their kiss. She only kissed him back harder in return.

"Let me put her in bed."

Kara said as soon as Mon-El withdrew.

"Let me."

Mon-El brought his arms under hers and Kara put Elin in his waiting arms without a second thought. She was perplexed with how his eyes were still tearful with some emotion that wasn't sadness. He carried Elin in his arms to her crib, looking down at her all the while.

"Did you show Mya your Comets?"

Kara heard him whisper playfully to Elin before kissing her face and lowering her slowly to her bed. Mon-El covered Elin with her small blanket then and stood unmoving, mesmerized by her peaceful state, like he was trying to carve her daughter's image in his mind for eternity. Kara came to stand beside him and put Oggy next to her in the crib.

She caressed Mon-El's arm, sensing how he was still a bit tense with emotions.

"Mon…"

Mon-El inhaled deeply before turning to face her, his eyes still wet.

"Thank you for making me a father. Thank you for our children. I love them so much. I love you so much."

Kara's felt tears welling up in her eyes as well at hearing Mon-El's affectionate words.

"I…I love you."

She pulled him close to herself, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulder. He brought up his arms in return and hugged her firmly.

They both stood there in each other's embrace, reeling in the profoundness of their love and affection for the other and neither could find the right words to say.

"It wasn't just me you know…"

Kara murmured when they finally pulled away from each other. Her voice was strained from all the emotion.

"What?"

Mon-El whispered back, sniffling a bit.

"I mean without you there I wouldn't have become a mother either."

Mon-El only gazed at her with a gentle smile adorning his bearded face.

"I know."

 **The End**

*Atar = Father in Daxamite

**Mya = Mother in Daxamite

*** -nizu = Kryptonian suffix for small children


	10. Morning Kisses

**Morning Kisses**

The small, soft and warm puffs of breaths on Kara's face was the very first thing she sensed when awakens brought her back from the land of dreams.

Kara let her eyes open in content because she knew what she was going to see when the light entered her irises and the shapes formed in front of her.

Her small rosy lips were scrunched a bit into a tiny half open pout and her golden wavy locks covered half her face. Her eye lids, behind which Kara knew lay two brilliant blue orbs, were still shut. Kara knew well the moment they were open, there would be no stopping her until they became tired and groggy again.

Her little head was resting on his father's pillow, and she was hugging his arm that was wrapped around her closely, while her favorite doll was lying unattended near her bare feet.

She had called for Kara in the middle of the night and Kara had no choice but bring her into their bed with herself so she would finally sleep. It happened some nights.

Kara looked at her and was taken aback by the mere sight of her existence for the tenth thousand time since she was only a bump on her stomach.

Kara couldn't help but reach out to gently brush Elin's hair out of her face and fondly stared at her two and a half year old baby girl.

Everyone kept calling Elin a miniature replica of Kara, but she could see trails of Mon-El's features on her too. Behind her daughter, Mon-El was fast asleep as well. Half of his face hidden as he was nuzzling into Elin's fragrant hair. In the way both their faces were so close to each other, Kara could clearly spot details on their faces that looked exactly alike.

The swarm of hot affection for her baby, made Kara lean forward involuntarily to put a kiss on her soft little forehead. The slight movement caused Mon-El's eyes to flutter open. The two gazed at each other with gentle smiles on their lips.

"Morning." Kara murmured, before stretching her hand out and stroked along his beard covered jaw with feather like touches.

"Morning." He whispered back as he leaned into her palm.

When she finally retreated her hand, Kara turned her eyes back to Elin.

"She looks just like you when she's sleeping."

Mon-El brought his head even closer and put a kiss to back of Elin's head. She remained unmoving. It took a lot more than that to wake her up in the mornings. Unlike her brother, Tyren, who would be kicking and screaming at the crack of dawn, Elin wasn't a morning person.

"But she's more like you when she's awake?"

He added with a smirk and raised his head higher to get a better look at her. Kara nodded with a chuckle. They both kept their eyes on their daughter and then brought their head closer to each other for a morning kiss.

Under them, Elin finally stirred and now she was facing the ceiling. Her movement caused them to break their kiss to look back at her. Her lips where twitching a bit and some random babbling came out from them. Seemingly she was dreaming of something unsatisfying, if the tiny frown between her eyebrows was any indication.

"Look, that's your crinkle!" Mon-El gasped and gently put his lips on it.

"I do not have crinkle!" Kara denied in an undignified tone while a smirk played on her lips. She then hurried to beat Mon-El at this game.

"Oh look isn't that's your dimple here!?" And rushed kiss Elin's cheek.

"But that nose is totally yours!" Mon-El kissed the mentioned mini nose.

"Maybe, but look at that chin! Isn't that yours?" The chin was next to be adored by Kara's lips.

All that finally caused Elin's eyes to open wide. They both stopped their teasing with held back laughs and watched their daughter gaining full awareness slowly.

She blinked many times with unfocused eyes and yawned openly until she realized her parents were staring at her.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Her slurred words ringed in the otherwise silent space.

"Good morning sweetheart!"

"Morning darling!"

Elin didn't complain when both her cheeks were once again pressed by firm, long kisses.

There was no words for seconds in a row and the room was in complete silence until an explosion interrupted.

"PANCAKE DAY!"

Tyren jumped on their bed, bouncing like a fire ball. Elin started giggling and cheered like she always did when her brother acted like this and untangled herself from her parents' hold and scrambled to her legs as fast as she could to join Tyren in his crazy dance on the bed with a joyful screech.

"PahKek!"

Kara and Mon-El burst into laugh.

When Tyren's jumps continued to grow heavier and the bed started creaking in disagreement, Mon-El grabbed him by the waist and dragged him down in order to contain his seven year old son's uncontrollable wild nature.

"Morning to you too, you early hungry Garata!"

"DAD STOP!" Tyren shouted between breathless laughs and kicked out against Mon-El's fingers that were tickling him mercilessly.

Kara pulled Elin closer to herself and away from the commotion, a bit concerned that the vigorous moves could unbalance her and cause her to fall off the bed.

She wiggled and chuckled into Kara's chest and Kara kissed her messy blond head.

"You like pancakes sweetheart?" Kara asked her even though she already knew the answer.

Elin nodded, still breathless from all the exercise.

In front of them Tyren had finally ran out of energy and was panting heavily with a crimson face in his father's iron grip.

For a minute they all tried to catch their breaths still laughing.

"Okay then, let's get out of the bed." Kara announced.

"YAYYY!"

Tyren apparently was recharged in less than a minute. He leaped off the bed in blink of an eye and dashed out of the room.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth!"

Kara shouted after him, but already knew he wouldn't even change out of his sleeping PJs until he got his first Sunday pancake.

But she didn't had time to worry about that when she noticed Elin had apparently decided to follow her brother.

"No no no no, you young lady, wait until I brush your teeth and then we all go for pancakes."

Elin didn't have time to even give Kara her famous puppy comet eyes as Mon-El pulled her into his own arms to hold for a moment.

"Don't worry sweetheart, Tyren won't get a pancake before you."

"Ba I wana pday wi Tyra."

Mon-El chuckled and gave her a proper kiss. Not that the ones before weren't proper.

"And you will! Just wait a little longer."

"Ha lan?"

"This long." Mon-El showed her a teeny gap between his thumb and index finger.

Mon-El could barely keep it together at how Elin's eyes were crossed momentarily in her effort to measure the gap.

"oki" She finally reconciled when the smallness of that distance satisfied her childish impatience.

Mon-El gave Elin another quick kiss before passing her into Kara's waiting arms and watched them leaving the bedroom to do the morning routines.

"Dad? Do we need more than four eggs for pancakes?"

Tyren appeared in the door way with his dark hair smeared yellow egg yolk and broken eggshells, his blue eyes shining apologetically.

"Tyren?! How did you even –"

Mon-El shook his head. There were no two Sunday morning in their house alike in his record.

"Come on buddy, let's get you cleaned up." He took Tyren to the bathroom, laughing to himself hard.


	11. Somersault

**Summery:**

A sneak peek into an eventful night at the Gand's household where no one apparently can sleep, even though it is very late!

* * *

 **Somersault:**

The faint squeals of crying stirred the deeply asleep couple awake like an urgent call. The first person who actually reached for the blanket to push it away and untangle herself was the concerned and very tired mother. But a hand stopped her sleepily progress by squeezing it gently.

"I go check on her. You go back to sleep."

Mon-El's dry voice spoke over the continuous pitch voice from the distance that was stubbornly demanding the presence of her parents.

"Are you sure?" The blonde asked almost guiltily, her brows furrowed. "You've just fallen asleep." She pointed out, referring to the fact that for the past few days her husband has been working overtime, trying hard to form a peace treaty with a race that had threatened Daxam for a few years. It had been overtly stressful and dragging days for him, yet the father in him never stopped caring about his children even if it meant adding to his own fatigue.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." He ensured before putting a kiss to the back the hand he held. "I'll be back soon."

Before Kara could express any other objections, the former King was out of the doors of their dark bedroom.

Mon-El walked passed by Tyren's closed door and down the hallway quietly to step into Elin's bedroom. At his sight the seven months old baby girl stopped crying and instead whimpered.

"… _Ata_ …" She called _Dad_ , in Daxamite, in the most accurate way she had only recently learned to. She then trashed and threw her little short arms upwards, asking to be picked up.

"Shhh… Sweetheart. I'm right here."

Mon-El collected her lovingly in his arms and let her nestle her wet cheeks onto his shoulder blade and rubbed her back gently.

It didn't take long until Elin started crying again, squirming in his arms, squealing in protest and clutching his shirt in small fists as though trying to tell him something, but didn't know the way how to.

"What's wrong baby? Is it your diaper?"

Mon-El put his dissatisfied daughter on the changing table and tried to check if she needed a change. Nope. That wasn't the problem. Elin almost screamed the moment he put her down. Worried that she might wake the whole house up, Mon-El took her back into his arms and tried to calm her again.

"Shhh… It's fine. It's gonna be ok." He shushed her daughter with sweet kisses even though he was still lost. "Are you maybe hungry?" Mon-El suggested as he walked them towards where a bottle of milk was put at ready for such occasions and offered it to his baby girl. Instead of accepting any kind of food like she usually did, Elin pushed it away with such force that he hadn't seen from her and made a disgusted noise as though the bottle had insulted her. She then started crying again.

Still clueless to the cause of her distress, Mon-El reached for the pacifier as the last recourse. This time Elin latched onto it, the little comfort bringing her tears to an end and making Mon-El sigh in relief.

The moment was short lived as Elin spat out the pacifier and started crying even louder than before as she pulled on one of her ears.

"Oh Rao!" Mon-El guided her head into his chest to muffle her loud cries, kissing, caressing her short soft golden hair, bouncing lightly and hoping beyond hope that Kara wouldn't come to check on them and see how he had failed to comfort their daughter.

" _Atar_? Is Eli ok?"

Mon-El spun around and saw Tyren standing in the doorway in his blue pajamas, rubbing one eye while gawking at them with deep blue eyes that resembled his mothers.

"Tyren? Close the door." He instructed his son and when he did as his father told him, he continued. "I don't know son. She won't stop crying."

Mon-El shifted Elin onto his other shoulder as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, making his heart break.

"Maybe she got tummy cake!"

Mon-El stared at him in confusion. "A what?"

"Tummy cake." Tyren rubbed his belly to clarify and it clicked in his mind.

"Oh! you mean tummy ache!"

With a new idea in head, Mon-El maneuvered Elin carefully on his arm so that she would be laying on her stomach along the length of his forearm horizontally while her head rested on his bicep and securely held her in place with his other arm. From experience he knew the position helped with stomachaches by adding some pressure on the belly.

"Is it your tummy sweetheart? Is that what's hurting you?" Mon-El whispered into her ear as he pressed his lips on the back of her neck affectionately, praying her pain would come to an end. "Is it better now?"

To his delight the little girl stopped crying and wiggling at last. The room was once again quiet save from small sniffles. Mon-El held the positon and stroked her constantly rising and falling backside while humming soothingly. He then gave his son an appraising look.

"I think you were right Tyren!" Mon-El chuckled at his five year old boy who's eyes twinkled joyfully as a grin covered his small features. He stepped closer to his father and sister and put his hand on the tiny hand that were holding onto Mon-El's thick arm. The action made Mon-El's heart skip a few beats. The profound connection between the siblings had shown itself from day one and it had never ceased to amaze their parents. Every time, it made their hearts tremble under heavy affection.

Unfortunately the stillness didn't last for more than a few minutes and once again Mon-El sensed hopelessly how Elin's breathing quickened and she even tried to bit him before another fit of crying began.

Tyren withdrew his hand instantly and the smile fell from his lips.

"No, no, no,no. Elin? What is it baby?" Mon-El once again moved Elin in his hold and worriedly looked at her tearful, drooling and red face. He put the back of his hand over her forehead and checked for fever. It was a little too warm, but he couldn't be sure if it were due to a sickness or simply because of crying continuously.

Mon-El decided it was time to wake Kara.

"Mon-El?"

For a second time that night, Mon-El turned on the spot and Kara herself was standing there. Her eyes wide awake.

"Kara! I don't know what's going on. She won't stop crying." Mon-El admitted sadly.

Kara merely nodded and came closer before stopping to brush his son's dark curly hair.

"Tyren? What are you doing up so late darling?"

"I hear _Nessa_ cry."

She was about to tell him to go back to his bed, but right then the disturbed girl finally saw her mother and screamed to her as though she was the answer to her troubles as her whole body stretched towards her in Mon-El's hold.

 _"MIA!"_

Kara reached for her instantly and Elin literally threw herself in her arms.

"Did you check for fever?" The mother asked as she kissed Elin's forehead, testing the temperature with her lips.

"I did, but I'm not sure."

Kara saw the pacifier on the floor and Mon-El hurried to explain.

"She spat it out. She didn't want any milk either."

Mon-El ran a hand through his hair in frustration, feeling disappointed in himself.

Kara was bouncing her girl in her embrace, murmuring softly with a frown between her brows. Elin had become somewhat quiet now. Nevertheless her pain was visible and they knew it was temporary.

"I said _Atar_ , Eli has tummy cake." Tyren spoke up, making them turn to look at him. "But Eli cry again after Atar put Eli on her belly." The child explained the best he could.

"I held her in that position we used for stomachache and she finally relaxed." Mon-El clarified for Kara who was trying to decipher Tyren's words. "But she started crying again."

Kara felt her sleeping gown growing damp with Elin's salvia.

And then her hand came up and pulled at her ear repeatedly.

The action made a light bulb glow in Kara's mind.

"She's teething!" She gingerly guided Elin's head upwards with her thumb on her tiny chin and closely looked at her mouth and inspected the sore gum behind the bottom lip.

Mon-El let out an exclamatory gasp, suddenly seeing all the signs. He remembered how cranky Tyren had been during his teething.

He picked up some tissues and approached the mother and daughter, his eyes focused on Elin's mouth as well and helped cleaning up her small face. He spotted the slightly white sharp edge on the pink gum that was breaking into the flesh and bringing so much discomfort to his baby.

As if the girl had sensed their new found understanding to the cause of her pain, she had finally grown calm and only gazed at them with tired eyes.

"There are some small carrots in the fridge, can you fetch one for me?"

"Of course." Mon-El ensured before putting another quick kiss to Elin's forehead and walked out of the room to get the cool vegetable which he knew would sooth the baby's pain. On his way out he ruffled Tyren's hair.

Kara went to sit on the sofa in Elin's room she used for breastfeeding and smiled at Tyren who had been standing in the middle of the room unsurely all this time.

"Come here baby." Kara beckoned her boy to join them.

Tyren didn't hesitate to run to them on small feet and climbed to fit his small figure in the space next to Kara.

"Hey Eli!" Tyren sing-songed to attract his sister's attention to himself.

Elin looked at him rather uninterested and not in the mood like she usually was. The indifferent look however didn't stop the brother from trying harder.

"You gonna haf teeeeeth." Tyren had his mouth wide open into a huge grin and pointed at his teeth. Kara chuckled at him heartily.

Elin frowned at him.

"You ca eat pancakes an' pizza an potstickers an' …." Tyren continued enthusiastically, naming all the foods he loved.

The sister was still unimpressed. She even attempted to bury her head into her mother's chest and the pout was starting to turn into whimpers again. Kara held her tighter and hoped Mon-El would show up just about now.

Meanwhile Tyren had a backup plan. The little Daxatonian jumped onto his feet and continued with his long list of benefits of having teeth.

"An' you be strong like me!" Tyren flexed his slim arms. " Not as strong as Valo'! Ba' Strong!" He started stretching and then ran a full circle around the room, deep in his imaginations. "An' you can do dis'!"

Tyren performed a flawless somersault in the middle of the room, making Kara gasp at how much energy the little one was showing.

An adorable juvenile laugh rang in the room.

Mon-El froze on his way in the doorway with a carrot in one hand and took in the scene before him.

Tyren was now doing a cartwheel, then jumping, using Elin's crib to do any crazy moves he could improvise, speaking gibberish, encouraged by his sister's chortles. Elin was laughing even louder than she had been crying before! She was out of breath!

And just like that, the whole family joined Elin in her joy, making her laugh even harder.

In that moment, no one cared how late it really was or how tired they were.

They just watched Tyren performing more somersaults and cartwheels, doing whatever he was doing and forgot all about their problems. The youngest her pain, and the grown-ups their countless worries. No one could even think of those wary thoughts while watching a child letting his unconditionally happy spirit roam free and making her sister laugh, even if it were giving him a dizzy!

* * *

 **Notes:**

In case you forgot, I've made up some words in Daxamite:  
 _Atar: Dad_  
 _Mia: Mom_  
 _Nessa: Sister_


End file.
